Christmastances
by planetblue
Summary: "I like her, Emmett. And I like the idea of her."
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

* * *

 ** _June, Six Months Ago_**

Driving through busy Miami traffic is an everyday occurrence. The key to surviving it is to have your best music playing, your favorite non-alcoholic beverage, your bluetooth on, and a sense of zen. Doesn't matter that I left work an hour earlier than usual, the congestion is always present.

 _I will get through this. I will get through this. And someday, I will move the hell out of here._

Bikini-clad bodies and some not-so-clad bodies line the sidewalks that run along the beach, which accounts for a lot of the backup. Men in their sports cars getting an eyeful before going home to a wife that maybe doesn't quite live up to the beauty of the young girls flaunting their wares and waving at said men in sports cars as they walk across the street.

Today my mantra isn't working so well, anxious as I am to get home and show Carmen the gift I have for her - a crisp, white envelope tied with a silvery-blue bow. I know she'll be as excited as I am, it's something we've discussed but never acted on.

A week in Aspen with my family, Christmas Eve through New Year's Day. Snow. Skiing. Frostbite. Hot cocoa. And hopefully sex on a bear skin rug.

I really want to wait until her birthday in October to give them to her, or ideally the week before Christmas as I've already cleared the time off with her boss, but I'm too eager. It's been years since I've been with my whole family at Christmas and getting out of Miami to be somewhere cold couldn't be more appealing. I feel like a little kid, dreaming of sleds and mittens and fireplaces burning brightly while sugar-plums dance in my head.

Turning into the drive of our stucco-covered townhouse, I'm not surprised to see her convertible parked in her spot. Most times she beats me home, my schedule as a clinical pathologist at Jackson Memorial being less structured and dominated by crazy while her secretarial position rarely veers into overtime.

I grab the envelope and leave my messenger bag in the car, too anxious to share the gift I've bought as much for her as for me to lug it inside. I envision her face, alight with happiness and love as she looks at the airline tickets. In the four years we've been together, we've never spent Christmas away from Miami before. We'll be away from her parents, and I hope she's still okay with it. My sister's recent engagement is a perfect excuse to finally visit her in Colorado, and my whole family jumped at the chance. We'll all be together for the holidays for the first time in years since everyone but me has left the Sunshine State.

"Carmen!" I yell as soon as I open the oak door, the cold air-conditioning inside hitting my face and making me shiver. She's probably been home awhile if the air is this cold. Yelling up the stairs again, I hear music and assume she's using her treadmill. Her habit of getting lost in Rihanna as she runs is something that irks me when I'm trying to catch up on reports I've brought home. I even bought her a nice set of earphones to use, but she insists she can't run with them on.

Fixing the bow on the envelope, I leap up the stairs two at a time, my grin growing as I get closer to the second floor. The music is leaking through the closed door, and I smile, thinking about how hot my girlfriend looks in her running clothes, imagining how she's about to press her sweaty body to mine, where we'll ultimately end up in the shower, her mouth thanking me for our holiday plans.

I turn the knob and press softly, wanting the element of surprise so I can watch her tits jiggle a bit before letting my presence known.

I'm not disappointed. There they are… jiggling.

But not with the energy of her feet making time on the treadmill. No, they're jiggling with the energy of some asshole plowing into her from behind. On my bed.

 _Merry fucking Christmas to me.  
_

* * *

 **Hey everyone!**

 **Welcome to my new story, a (hopefully) fun little ditty for the holidays. It's my Christmas present to you, to thank you all for the love and support you've shown me these last few years.**

 **I have to thank Ceci (lolypop82) for putting the banner together with basically no information or help from me except for the title. She nailed it perfectly.**

 **My two best girls, CarrieZM and Layathomemom, are rock stars and basically worked their butts off on this despite having their own Christmas things to do. It's a tough season to find any spare time to accomplish all we need to around the holidays, but somehow, these two made sure they gave this as much love and attention as they possibly could.**

 **So any mistakes you find are all mine, wholly and completely.**

 **I hope you enjoy!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

* * *

 ** _Six Months Later, December 23_**

"Come on, Edward, stop moping already. You're really killing my buzz." My older brother is already three drinks in, and we've only taken off out of Miami an hour ago.

"I'm not moping. I'm reflecting."

"Your reflecting seems very similar to the way Gracie looks when I tell her no." He finishes the last of his screwdriver as I nurse my first beer. "Get over it, bro. She was fucking the rent-a-cop from your development… it was a year ago."

"It was six months ago, Em. And I'm not moping over _her_ , I've moved past it."

"So what, then? I flew down here to make sure you got on the plane because Rosie said you were having second thoughts about coming." Emmett clinks his glass against mine. " _And_ to mooch your spare first class seat. What gives?"

I sigh, draining my bottle while Emmett signals the stewardess in his 'mooched' first class seat for another round. "It's not second thoughts, exactly. Not about coming without… her." I refuse to say the cheating bitch's name. "I just never pictured myself being the last single Cullen."

Emmett snorts. "Who'd have thought that, huh? You were the one always playing house with Alice and her dolls. Pussy."

"Fuck you." I nudge his arm, causing his ice to jump out of his cup. "Being in the cold and snow for Christmas is going to be great. It's something I've been looking forward to. But… you have Rose and your kids, Mom and Dad are still happily married after thirty-something gross PDA-filled years, and now our little sister is engaged and 'insta-mom' to Jasper's son. I'm odd man out. No family, and no prospects of one. I was just looking forward to having someone with me."

Emmett stops fidgeting next to me, his bulky frame enjoying all the spare room my gift affords him. "Edward, I don't get mushy often. This is something you know well." He turns to face me, a dead serious look on his face. I nod, waiting to hear what words of wisdom my parent's oldest child is about to impart on me.

"Listen to me. And listen to me good." His eyes bore into mine, and he actually places his closed fist on my hand, as affectionate with a man as Emmett can get. I lean in, on instinct.

"I'm going to find you the hottest fucking snow bunny to throw around the sheets like a ragdoll, because if you ruin my vacation with your sourpuss, I _will_ kill you."

* * *

True to his word, as soon as we arrive at the resort, Emmett starts pointing out any girl within age range. But once Rosie comes in with the kids, all thought of getting me laid goes out the window.

"Uncle Edward!" My seven-year-old niece Gracie jumps in my arms, bypassing her father. Her fair, blonde hair, identical to her mother's, is swinging out behind her as I turn her around in a giant hug.

"My Gracie-girl. I've missed you!" And it's true. I haven't seen Emmett's five kids since August, when they came to visit before school started in Georgia, where Emmett went to college and stayed once he met Rosalie freshman year.

"Let's go sledding!" Her blue eyes shine with little girl excitement, and before I can answer, I feel a pair of hands around my knees and feet stepping on my own. Looking down at Alexander, I pat his head as he clings tight to me.

"Hey buddy!"

"Hi, Unca Eword." He leaves me as quickly as he came, running over to Emmett who is now wrestling with one of the twins Rosie deposited in his arms, who is trying to escape.

Rosalie rushes towards me, the cold air from outside clinging to her big coat as she gives me a one-armed hug, the scent of her perfume and the distinct smell of puke all around her. "Sorry, Jocelyn decided NOW was a good time to get rid of lunch." In her arms is the other twin, smiling and covered in spit up. She leans in to let me kiss her cheek as she keeps her coat and baby from soiling my sweater.

"Jocelyn throws up a lot." Gracie offers, disgusted.

"She's a baby."

"She's not a baby no more. She's one and she can walk."

"That's still a baby."

"She can't go sledding."

"No, she can't. That's something you and I can do together with Matt."

"I don't want to go sledding." My thirteen-year-old nephew, face firmly turned to his iPad, plops down on the couch behind us.

"Matthew McDonall Cullen! Say hello to your Uncle Edward!" Rosalie chastises before running off to take Jocelyn to the ladies' room while barking orders at Emmett to take Jackie's pink coat off of her.

My nephew doesn't even look up at me. "Hello."

"Hey, Matt." It doesn't bother me, being thirteen is a bitch and the last thing you want to do is be with family. God forbid.

"Where's the bar?" Emmett asks, deftly taking a squirming baby's coat off while looking around the lobby.

"Where's Mom and Dad? I thought they came with Rosie to help."

"Dunno, should be here somewhere."

"They said to go in, Grandpa's paying the driver." Gracie says, laying her head on my shoulder. I love that she loves me so much, and my heart lurches at the missing hole in my own life.

A valet pushing a cart with a pile of matching suitcases moves past us, and I know my mother is here. No doubt most of them are filled with gifts. "Edward!" Her cold cheek presses against mine as she throws her arms around me in a motherly hug, one I've been sorely needing.

"Mom, I've missed you."

"I'm so glad we're all doing this! What a great idea this was!" She leaves me with a kiss on my cheek and a pat on the leg for Gracie, before shedding her coat and handing it to my father. "Where's the bar?" she asks Emmett, pulling Jackie from his arms.

"Edward! Hello, Son!" My father is next in the greeting train, and we hug, before he pulls back and reveals his attire.

"Birthday Boy." I read out loud, shaking my head at the picture of Jesus woven on his body, holding a red balloon and chocolate cupcake.

"Well, I don't want anyone to forget the real meaning of Christmas! Where's the bar?"

"I'm not sure." I have a family of lushes, apparently. "When's Alice coming?"

"Tomorrow. They're spending today with Jasper's father. Did I tell you that they decided to stay here with us through New Year's even though they're only twenty minutes away?"

"No, that's great. I'd like to get to know Oscar better."

"He's weird." Matt chimes in from the couch, nose still pressed into his iPad.

My father, ever the diplomat, agrees. "He is kinda strange." Matt nods enthusiastically, looking up at me for the first time.

"He's just new to you. I think Aunt Alice would be really happy if you made an effort to get to know him. He is going to be your cousin and he's about your age."

"He's two years younger than me! Eleven! I'm a teenager."

"Don't we fucking know it." Emmett says under his breath, holding a beer out to me. Apparently he found the bar. "It's been painful."

"Teenagers are awful." With that bit of wisdom, my father follows my mother in the direction Emmett pointed her towards.

"Where's Alex?" Emmett asks, frantically turning in a circle, right before we hear the loudest shrill of a child screaming across the entire lobby.

"SANTA!"

"Whoops! How'd he get over there?" Emmett hands Gracie his beer to hold before running off to chase his son. "Don't tell your mother!"

"Daddy's always losing one of us."

I laugh and take the beer from my niece, setting it down next to mine on the table. "You outnumber him."

"Can we go see Santa?"

"Sure. Matt, you coming?"

"No. Santa doesn't…" I see it in his face, what he was about to say and give him a stern look. "Have anything I want this year," he finishes and rolls his eyes, bothered I'm sure by having to keep up the ruse for his siblings.

Pointing to the beer, I head over to where Santa is apparently set up. "Don't drink those." Getting another eye roll in response, I carry Gracie away across the lobby.

The resort obviously knows how to do Christmas right. The decorations that fill the large, wood paneled lobby are festive, lit garland and large gold bells adorning the walls and front desk, while wreaths and more garland line the massive set of stairs that sit at one end. At the other end of the lobby where Gracie is directing me, a large fireplace you can practically stand in is blazing, and next to that, the biggest tree I've ever seen. It towers through the massive, three story open lobby towards the vaulted ceiling, covered in thousands of lights, gold balls, sparkly red bows and ornaments of all kinds. It's truly stunning and a bit of bile rises in my throat at the thought that I'm not sharing this with someone special. Sure, my family is here and they mean everything to me, but I'm not going to be able to sit here in front of the tree and fire, cozying up to a girl that will be keeping me warm all through the night.

"Look at Santa!" Gracie points and shimmies down, joining her recovered brother who stands at the edge of the group of kids huddled around the jolly fellow, while Emmett holds his collar so he can't get away again.

"Gracie, hold your brother." He turns the collar over to my niece and takes Jackie back from Mom who's wandered over, frilly drink in hand.

Gracie moves forward a bit with Alex, and they both hold their hands out for something.

Looking up, I see a bunch of elves passing out candy canes to the kids that surround the big man in the center, their little grabby hands jutting up and waving for a treat. More kids come at the sound of the commotion, and the elves spread out to cover the crowd.

"You look like you could use a treat." A girl elf pops up in front of me, waving a candy cane in front of my face. I go to reach for it, but she pulls it back. "Have you been a good boy or a naughty boy?" My eyes widen at her question, while Emmett stands next to me, laughing.

He peers at her sparkly nametag. "Oh, Elf Bella, he wishes he were naughty."

"Shut up, Em." Shoving a nice right elbow into his gut, I smile at the elf. She's pretty, clad in a green velvet dress with white fur trim, a pointed hat on top of her hair held by the two pointy ears sticking out from either side of her head. Her brown eyes twinkle with what looks like mischief.

"Sounds like you deserve two then." She pulls another cane from her treat bag and hands them to me before walking off to finish her task.

"Dude. Forget the snow bunnies." Emmett grins and nods his chin towards the girl. "You should bang an elf."

* * *

 **CarrieZM and Layathomemom are _my_ magical elves. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

* * *

 ** _December 24, Christmas Eve_**

I've never seen so much paper in my life.

Piles and piles cover the floor of my parent's suite, my sister directly in the middle of it all. "Alice, why didn't you wrap everything at home?"

She looks up at me, scissors raised. "This is my first Christmas as an almost step-mother. I want to do it right and didn't want Oscar to see us wrapping. Besides, I have zero time and Mom is the best wrapper I know."

"It's true," My mother chimes in, yellow bow stuck to her head, swinging her mimosa. "Alice, hand me that one for Rose."

Alice turns over the box my mother asked for, and she covers it in Frosty paper. "Besides, we can't be all as organized as you, ordering things ahead of time, all wrapped and delivered here before your arrival."

"It's called Amazon, Alice. It's not some big mysterious Christmas miracle."

"Whatever. Don't you have something to do besides bothering us?" She smiles sweetly, batting her fake eyelashes. "Love you!" She waves her hand at me, and I swear she purposely makes it look like it can't carry the weight of the rock sitting on her hand, the one she can't stop staring at.

"I do, indeed. I have a date."

My mother and sister stare at me. It's embarrassing how hopeful they look. "With Gracie. I told her we'd go sledding."

"Make sure she wears the new gloves, scarf, and hat I made her." Alice jumps up and grabs a bag, searching its contents. She pulls out some pink yarn and shoves it at me. Turning it over, I see Gracie's name in hot pink on the hat.

"Why do I have a feeling we're all getting matching sets?" My sister is an avid knitter, selling her items on Etsy and doing pretty well.

"Why does she have Charlie Brown stripes on hers?" I question, looking at the zig zag pattern. "Not very Christmasy."

"It's called chevron, you moron."

"Whatever."

"Be careful, or I'll make you a sweater to match Dad's."

"You _made_ that thing he had on yesterday?"

"He requested it. He had an order for every day we're here." She sits back on the ground, shifting her ass as she pulls a roll of paper out from under her. I shake my head and say my goodbyes, stopping at my room to grab my own black hat and gloves, purchased in the airport gift shop. I wasn't taking any chances on a bright yellow cable knit set from my sister.

Reaching the lobby, I see Gracie standing by the tree, looking up at the bright silver ornament glinting in the light. Emmett is busy holding a twin back from touching the ornaments. "You ready to go?" I put my hands on Gracie's shoulders, pulling her back to me.

"Isn't it pretty, Uncle Edward?" I follow Gracie's finger as she points to the top of the tree. "I wonder how they got alllll the way up there!"

"Santa uses magical dust to sprinkle all over his elves." Looking to the voice that's chimed in next to me, I'm happily surprised to see it's the girl elf from yesterday. Still dressed as an elf, but today in a red costume complete with bells on the edges of her skirt and curly shoes. It's a ridiculous outfit, but somehow this girl pulls it off.

"What does that do?" Excited by the prospect, Gracie turns to Elf Bella, who bends down so she's eye to eye with my niece.

"Well, it gives us the power to fly, of course! He sprinkles it on." She makes a motion over her head and flaps her arms. "And off we go, to the very tippy top of the tree to put all the ornaments in the exact right place!"

"Wow! Can you fly now?"

"Nope, it's only for the tree. Are you going to come sit on Santa's lap?" She points to where Santa is, perched on a big throne surrounded by presents and a line of kids waiting.

"Can you tell Santa I'll have to come back later? I'm going sledding!" Gracie grabs my hand and jumps excitedly.

"I will definitely tell Santa that. What's your name?"

"Gracie! Make sure you tell him I will be coming for sure."

"Okay, Gracie, when you're done sledding with your daddy, you come see me." Elf Bella leans down to whisper. "I'll put you in the front of the line."

"He's not my daddy, silly! He's my uncle!"

The elf looks up at me then, and winks. "What a nice uncle you have." Her smile is infectious, and I find myself smiling back, a bit of amusement welling up within me. She isn't flirting, is she? I'm surprised to find that I hope she is.

"See? I _am_ a good boy." What? What just came out of my mouth? Emmett guffaws next to me and I groan internally. I'm never living this down.

Elf Bella straightens and chuckles. "Well that's too bad. See you later, Gracie! Don't forget!"

"I won't!"

We fall silent as we watch Bella walk towards the line of kids. "Dude."

"Shut up, Em."

* * *

Two hours later, red cheeked and thoroughly sledded out, Gracie and I find my family in the lobby near the fireplace, huddled over a coffee table playing a game. One twin is fast asleep on Rosalie's lap, one is bouncing on my mother's knee, Emmett is trying to pry something out of Alex's hand, and my father is snoring, fast asleep on the couch wearing a sweater that reads, 'Merry Christmas Ya Filthy Animal' on it, complete with two reindeer going at it.

"Where's Alice, Jasper, and Oscar?" I order two hot chocolates from the waitress and pull Gracie's snow gear off of her.

"Oscar wanted to see Santa." My mother leans over, whispering in my ear, "Apparently, he's never been taken before."

I pull back, saddened for the newest family member. I know his life before Jasper found out he existed was rough, but to have never seen Santa in person? That should be illegal.

Sipping my cocoa, my mother and I move slightly away from the kids' ears. "Is he having a tough time of it?"

"Well from what Alice tells me, they're still trying to find out exactly how he lived before the authorities contacted Jasper. I'll tell you this, though. It's a good thing we'll never have a chance to meet that woman. I'm sorry he lost his mother, but to abandon your child so you can go out and get high? I'd have killed her myself if the drugs didn't do it."

I nod solemnly. The news that Jasper had a child he knew nothing about was a shock when it came two months ago, and when Alice called to tell me, she was tearful as she described the boy, much too small and skinny for his age, perched on a chair in the police station looking utterly lost. To have lost his mother and shipped off to a man you don't know all in one week, well, it has to have messed with him. Alice is trying her hardest in a tough situation, never blaming Jasper, and she would never take her anxiety about it all out on a child.

"Uncle Edward, can we go see Santa now? I promised I'd be there." Looking at Gracie, I nod, thinking about the elf.

"Sure we can. Anyone else?"

Rose answers, wiping baby drool off her leg. "We've been already. Twice."

"It's just you and me then, Gracie-girl!" We leave my family and make our way to the big tree, where a small line of children is still gathered, all hoping to get in their last minute requests.

"There's that elf!" Gracie points towards Bella at the front of the line.

"We can wait, it's not too long."

"But she said I should tell her pesifically." A curt nod of her head means she's all business, so I agree and we move off the line, getting closer to where the elves are busy wrangling children up and down off Santa's lap.

"I'm here!" Gracie announces, and Elf Bella smiles, moving to where Gracie stands excitedly.

"I'm so glad you remembered to come back! Santa's got a busy night ahead of him, and I'd hate for you to not get what you want this year." Bella looks at the line and grins. "Santa's a good friend of mine and I told him all about you. He can't wait to meet you." Gracie's eyes bug out at that info, and Bella takes her hand, leading her off to the side of where Santa's nestled inside a Christmas jungle. We pass the mountains of sparkly gifts, clouds of fake snow, and duck under a large bough of holly and red ribbons.

Santa is just saying goodbye to one kid who looks scared shitless, and Bella steps up, hands on Gracie's shoulders. "Hey Santa! Here's that little girl named Gracie I told you about. Think you can see her now? She made an appointment."

The look Santa gives Bella is unmistakable annoyance, one she returns with a batting of her eyelashes and a defiant smirk, causing me to hide my smile in my hand. Gracie has no clue, of course, and to Santa's credit, he ho-ho-ho's and puts on the show for her.

I lean down to whisper into Bella's pointy ear, the scent of Christmas cookies in her hair. "I think I know someone that's going to get coal tonight. Santa didn't seem too happy to accommodate you."

"Well, Santa deserves it for squeezing my ass any chance he can for a week straight now." She smiles up at me and her eyes are bright, reflecting the lights blinking above us.

"Santa's a pervert?" Grasping my chest in mock horror, Bella laughs and touches my arm.

She leans in closer, signaling for me to lean down. Her breath is warm on my ear, and I shiver slightly. "He's also a horrible drunk."

Laughing, I move to reply in her ear, taking the opportunity to smell her hair again. Definitely sugar cookies. "Let's hope he doesn't get a DUI tonight."

"I have it on good authority that Mrs. Claus has already called Uber." Bella nods her head towards Gracie. "Don't you want a picture?"

"Oh, yeah." Slightly embarrassed that I forgot all about my niece, I pull my phone out and take a few snaps. On a whim, I turn towards Bella and take one of her too.

"Well that's not fair. Guess you're getting coal too."

"I'd rather take you to dinner." I cringe a bit inside, having no idea that I was about to say that. It's been years since I asked someone out.

Bella looks at me, surprised. When she doesn't answer right away, I assume she's trying to come up with a way to let me down easy. Putting her out of her misery, I shove my phone in my pocket. "I'm sorry, that was a spur of the moment thing. I didn't even think to ask if you were married or had a boyfriend."

"It's okay. I… don't have either of those things."

"So you'll allow me to take you out, then?"

"How long are you here for…?"

"My name is Edward. I'm here through New Year's. I guess that makes me a jerk, uh, asking you out while I'm clearly here on vacation." The thought saddens me, as I haven't been interested in anyone in a long time, and now that I am, unfortunate circumstances get in the way.

Bella smiles. "I get the feeling you're not a jerk. And while I'm flattered, it's probably best that we keep this a strictly elf/customer relationship."

"I understand." Disappointed, I call out to Gracie who is returning to me. "You ready? Did you tell Santa everything?" She nods, and opens the candy cane he's given her, shoving the peppermint into her mouth. "What do you say to the nice elf here, Gracie?"

"Fank you," she says around a mouth full of sugar.

"Yes, thank you. It was nice meeting you, Bella. I hope you can get out of here early to celebrate."

A sudden shift in her mood makes me blink, her expression sad before she smiles at us. "Have a great Christmas, Gracie! You too, Edward. Nice to meet you." She turns and walks towards Santa, helping the next kid onto his lap.

* * *

I'd be lying if I say I didn't think of Bella for the rest of the day, wondering where she'd be off to once Santa wasn't grabbing her ass and the elf season was officially over. I might've walked through the lobby once more, trying to get the courage up to get her to change her mind. One dinner wouldn't hurt, or just a drink, but she was tied up with last minute children and drunk adults wanting their pictures taken with Santa.

Dressing for Christmas Eve dinner, I hum a carol, my excitement returning. I can't remember the last time we've all sat for a family meal together, and my mother has booked all thirteen of us in a private room in the restaurant.

Which turns out to be a good thing because all the kids are so hopped up on sugar and Christmas madness, it would've been cruel to subject the other diners to our mess. We haven't even ordered drinks yet and already we've had one crying fit, two sets of silverware on the floor, and a farting baby.

Gracie insists on sitting next to me, and I let Alice dictate where we should go, because she cares more for seating arrangements than I do. I notice she puts Oscar next to Matthew, probably trying to get her nephew to warm up to his new cousin. Good luck with that. They both sit there, Matt bored and Oscar looking like he wants to slide under the table at the attention by his new, soon-to-be, stepmother.

I give my sister a sympathetic smile and she nods at me, sighing and sitting next to Jasper.

"Merry Christmas Eve, folks! Can I start you all with some drinks?"

"Look, Uncle Edward! It's the elf!" Gracie says loudly next to me, jabbing me in the arm. I look up and gape at Elf Bella, now waitress Bella, dressed in all black with a red bow tie around her neck. Her hair is pulled back in a sleek ponytail, and I find I miss the curls and pointy ears.

Bella looks startled as she looks from Gracie to me but recovers. "That's right. When Santa goes off to deliver the presents on Christmas Eve, me and the other elves have nothing to do, so instead of waiting for him to come home, we have other jobs." I wonder if she's annoyed to have to wait on the jerk that hit on her and his family, as she doesn't look at me again. We go around the table, my father ordering four bottles of wine and a bourbon. I'm glad none of us are driving.

"Nice tie," Bella says to him, which makes him beam and fondle the present from Alice, a green monstrosity with a drunken Rudolph dead center. When she gets to me for my drink order, I get a warm smile, but she moves on quickly.

Dinner is chaotic with crying, screaming, laughing, forks clanging, things spilling, and liquor flowing. I'm happier than I thought I would be months ago when I was staring bitterly at the airline tickets and hotel website.

Feeling tipsy and warm, we all decide to have a nightcap in front of the big fireplace, where many other families are gathered. The hotel has an indoor playroom off to the side, and every parent throws their kids in there, hopeful to get them tired out so they'll eventually go to sleep. Rose decides to take the twins to bed, so that Emmett can stay up with us but really so he can deal with an Alex that's declared himself a reindeer and keeps trying to take off his pants.

Sipping a brandy, I spy Bella across the lobby chatting with one of the girls behind the front desk. Courage safely bolstered by alcohol, I mosey over, and when she notices me coming she turns and smiles, resting her arm up on the counter. "Well someone sure looks like they're having a good time." She nods towards my glass. "What's that, four?"

"Who's counting? It's Christmas. Although I'm sure I'll feel it in the morning." I begin swaying, and hope the grin on my face is as charming as I perceive it in my head.

"Maybe you should have a bit of water, Uncle Edward."

"I'd like some coffee, actually."

She straightens. "I'll see if I can get some for you."

I'm confused at first, but when she begins to walk away, my hand comes out to stop her. Her blouse is soft, and I rub my fingers against it a bit. "No! Please, Bella, I wasn't asking you for some. In fact, would you maybe want to walk with me to the coffee shop? You know, make sure I don't fall into the tree or something." I take my hand away, shoving it into my pants pocket. I'm suddenly nervous. "And maybe join me for a cup?"

She looks at me, eyes narrowed in what I can only assume is contemplation. "Well, it wouldn't hurt to have some before I drive home."

My face lights up, and being the gentleman I am, I offer her my arm. She takes it and we walk through the lobby. It's right then that I remember my entire family is sitting there, in our path. We skirt around them, but not before Emmett yells out as loud as possible, "Go get some, Edward!"

Bella stiffens and I gently push her through the hallway towards the coffee shop. "I'm sorry about that, he's an idiot. I promise I'm not after anything but coffee."

"Who is he?" She sits in the seat I hold out for her, taking the cup in front of her and turning it right-side up as the waitress comes over. "Thanks, Julie." Julie smiles and pours us some before walking away.

" _He_ is my brother, and he's quite the ass. In fact, we've had him checked multiple times for concussions garnered from years of amateur boxing."

"So is that Gracie's father?"

I watch as she puts about six sugars into her coffee before stirring and taking a sip. "He is. That's his second, he's got four more."

"Wow. That's a lot. Who is everyone else? You seem like a close group."

"We are, I have a great family, I'm very lucky. The drunk lady at dinner is my mom, the offensive tie wearer is my father, and the rest are various siblings and in-laws."

Bella says nothing and I take a sip of my own coffee, feeling the awkward space between us. "It must be hard to work on Christmas Eve?" I offer.

She shrugs. "Not really. The tips are usually really good and I don't mind helping out the wait staff that have families they'd like to be with."

"What about your own? Surely you want to be with them too."

Bella stills the hand that was playing with an empty sugar packet and moves it to her hair, pulling on her ponytail in what seems a nervous gesture. She pulls a few times before answering. "I don't have a family." She looks right at me then, big brown eyes meeting mine, which I'm sure have turned to sadness. "Don't pity me," she says, ending our stare-off.

A bit flustered, I cough. "I don't, I couldn't. I just… wasn't expecting to hear that." Silence falls between us, so I lean in, trying to lighten the mood. "Trust me, they're not all they're cracked up to be. I can give you Emmett, if you want? In fact, I'll pay you to take him." What I hoped for happens, a smile lifts the corners of her mouth.

"I don't think you have enough money for that."

* * *

 **CarrieZM and Layathomemom deserve all the time on Santa's lap they want.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

* * *

 ** _December 25, Christmas Day_**

Christmas morning is as chaotic as you can imagine with my family. The adults sit bleary-eyed, too much fun and booze the night before mixed with the ungodly hour of five o'clock in the morning making all of us empty the two carafes of coffee brought up from room service.

My parents suite is filled, paper and presents and children covering every inch of space. I've had to take up residence on the floor due to lack of seating, but I don't mind. I've never spent Christmas morning with my nieces and nephews, and I'm enjoying watching them open what I've thoughtfully selected for them.

Gracie is the easiest, pink and Barbie or fluffy and animal is right up her alley, and she holds the picture of the Barbie Dream House I've had shipped to her house all morning. The babies get what Rose has requested, with a few stuffed bears thrown in, while Alex gets cars and Matthew gets iTunes gift cards and video games.

Oscar, on the other hand, was impossible. How do you select a present for a member of the family you don't know? Wanting to get him something that made him happy was important to all of us, but when we asked Alice and Jasper for ideas, they really had no clue. Oscar hadn't shared what sort of gifts he'd like, and Alice and my mother wondered if it was due to not wanting to hold out hope he'd be with them through Christmas, and perhaps not wanting to appear needy so they wouldn't decide to send him back.

I crawl over to where he is, holding a football still in the box that Emmett got him. "Hey, Oscar. What a mess, huh?" He recoils a bit at my proximity, so I lean back against the dresser to give him a bit of space. He nods and looks at the pile of gifts in front of him. I see Alice watching from across the room, whispering at Jasper, who looks equally anxious. Picking up a blue wrapped gift, I slide it next to him. "This one's from me. I hope you like it."

He picks it up, and I can see he's a bit surprised at the heft. Putting it on his lap, he carefully takes the ribbon and the paper off. "A microscope?"

"Yeah. I thought you might like it, I had one at your age and it turned out to be my favorite thing. In fact, I use one every day now at my work."

He looks up at me, Jasper's mirrored blue eyes wide on his face. "What do you do?"

"I'm a doctor. Well, I work in the lab, where we test stuff."

"Like what?"

"Blood and organs, cool stuff like that." I smile at him and my heart swells a bit as he opens the box, picking the styrofoam off the top and peering in.

"Would you…" he begins, and stops.

"You want me to show you how to use it?" I look up at a watchful Alice who's practically kneeling and saying the rosary she's so worked up. Oscar nods, and we take out the kit, pulling the eye droppers, slides, and petri dishes out. "What do you want to see?"

Oscar looks at the box and sees a picture of a leaf pressed between the slides. "How about that?" He points to a poinsettia in the corner, so I crawl over Alex who's fast asleep among the revelry and grab a leaf.

We spend the next half hour setting up the microscope and slide, and taking turns looking at it. Gracie pops over wanting a look, and when Oscar agrees, she plops into his lap and sticks her eye on the scope. He looks a little startled, but he doesn't move or protest, just lets her sit there staring through the lens. She gets bored easily and runs off, but not before thanking him with a big Gracie smile.

It's a start.

* * *

Throughout the morning, I don't stop thinking of what Bella said last night. About having no family. She didn't elaborate and I didn't push, and after we finished our coffee I walked her to her car where she wished me a Merry Christmas and said she'd see me around. I wanted to kiss her, but that might've been because I was still tipsy. Besides, I didn't think she'd welcome it anyway. After all, I was here for just a week.

We don't leave my parent's suite until after lunch, the kids too happy to play with all their new crap even though it snowed overnight and the grounds are covered in new, pristine powder. My efforts of gathering everyone to make a snowman fall flat, so I venture out by myself, my new Alice-made scarf around my neck at her insistence. I was all for purple polka dots… on other people, but not wanting to disappoint her on Christmas day, I put it on with a smile.

The lobby and restaurants are bustling, as is the immediate outside area, full of kids with new snow toys yelling and falling, their red noses giving Rudolph a run for his money. Walking towards the line of fir trees that outline the property, the noise falls away and I'm surrounded by the quiet sounds of my new boots, a gift from my parents, sifting through soft snow and my breath fanning out in front of me. I travel in a circle around the trees, keeping the property in sight but letting it fall further away.

Finding a large rock, I plant my butt on it despite the chill and close my eyes. It's impossible not to think about the fact that I was supposed to be here with someone, sharing presents and snow-filled walks, kissing under the mistletoe and making love in the bathroom's jacuzzi. But here I am, alone, sitting on a rock feeling sorry for myself. It's not that I miss Carmen specifically, just the idea of what I had been looking forward to when I held those tickets in my hand, unaware that I was about to get an eyeful from a cheating asshole and the security guard from our development.

"That's a heck of a scarf you got there." Startled, I whip around to see Bella coming towards me, lighting a cigarette. She's dressed in shorts and a pair of rain boots. A puffy blue parka pulled across her chest, partially unzipped, showing off a flowered Hawaiian shirt.

"It was a gift, what can I say." I scooch over and make room for her to perch next to me. "I didn't know you smoked."

"I don't, not really. Just an excuse to get outside for a few minutes. I quit back in college."

"Are you working today? Looks like you're on your way to a nice, tropical island."

"Sadly, working. Today I'm covering the indoor pool bar."

"Huh. I didn't know there was one. I wonder why my brother and mother haven't found it yet."

"Oh, they have."

"Great. Should I apologize now or later?"

"They're having fun." She takes a drag, exhaling. "Your dad is sporting a sweater vest with Santa flashing his man parts on it, paired with a jingle bell adorned speedo."

I palm my face. There is really nothing else to do but be embarrassed, but she laughs. "You should come join them." Her cheeks pink as she flicks the end of the cigarette with her thumbnail.

"I feel like I should be enjoying the snow and outdoors. Skiing or sledding or something." And staying away from you, before I ask you out again, because your legs are really quite touchable even though they're reddening from the cold.

She nudges my shoulder. "I make a mean Mai Tai. You know you want to try it. Come warm up a bit."

Her smile is infectious, and I wonder for the second time if she's flirting with me. It's been a long time, I'm not sure I know the signs. I grin back at her, surprising us both by taking the cigarette from her hand and taking a drag. "On one condition."

She grins. "I don't own a speedo."

"You have dinner with me tonight." Whoomp there it is. Whoomp there it is.

"It's Christmas. Don't you have to have dinner with your family?"

"I do. Crap. They're going to be very drunk, aren't they?"

"Probably, but they're on vacation. I'm working tonight, anyway. But thanks for the invite."

I remember what she said about having no family and filling in for those that do. "Dinner service is over at ten, right?"

She doesn't say anything at first as she eyes me thoroughly. "Usually." She acquiesces, a bit of a smirk forming on those lips around the lucky cigarette.

"I'll come have a Mai Tai and try to get my family out of there in one piece if you meet me by the big tree when you're done tonight, that is, if you don't have to run home for something."

She looks at me, at my eyes, my nose, my mouth. I can tell she's weighing her answer before her face slides into a smile. "One of those things is easy." She stubs the cigarette out on her boot. "Getting your family to leave the bar, not so much."

* * *

This evening we're seated in the main dining room with the other guests, instead of the private room, at a long table for the adults while the kids are next to us at their own table. A table filled with crayons and small toys the resort has put at each child's place setting.

It's buffet style tonight, with stations lining every available space all filled with mouth-watering food. My plate is loaded with shrimp, filet mignon, and cheesy mashed potatoes, enough to feed half my family. They've sobered up a bit since the pool, but the liquor is still flowing, just not as quickly. My father sips a scotch, rubbing his belly to make room for a second pass through the buffet. He's somewhat appropriately dressed tonight, wearing a navy dinner jacket over a sweater vest showing two red and green Christmas ornaments with the words "Touch my Balls" elegantly stitched underneath. I guess it's respectful he didn't wear the Jesus one on the man's _actual_ birthday.

I watch Bella as she moves around the tables, filling glasses and carrying away empty plates. She smiles at everyone, laughing and joking, but I wonder if she's sad at all, being around all these people that have someone to spend the holiday with and somewhere to be. She said she does this so that the employees with families can be together, but that doesn't mean she doesn't have _anyone_ in her life. A friend, a couple she spends time with, or a neighbor. She must have someone.

Emmett leans back with a groan after his third helping of turkey and places his hand on my shoulder. It's an easy gesture between us, even though it's been a long time since I've spent any length of time with him. Being here with all of them now makes me feel guilty I don't see them enough and that I never want to have another major holiday without them. Not for the first time, my thoughts turn to moving closer to one of my siblings or my folks.

Rosalie and Alice get up to monitor the about to be thrown vegetables situation at the kids' table, and I see Jasper looking at Oscar like a deer in headlights watching his newly-discovered son not trying to join the about-to-be squashed food fight, but looking through the booklet that came with the microscope.

I've always liked Jasper, he and my sister were made for each other, and they both have huge hearts. I don't see this situation _not_ working out. "He'll be okay, Jasper, just give him time," I say, picking up my wine and sipping. I definitely don't want to be drunk again when meeting Bella later.

"I know, I'm just… Alice seems to be handling it better than I am. She's amazing." The three of us look on as Alice crouches down beside Oscar, pointing and asking him about something in the booklet.

"As together as my sister is, she's unsure too, you're not alone," Emmett says, and I look at him like he's been taken over by an alien life form. "What? I can be sensitive."

Jasper laughs slightly before turning back to look at his sudden family. "He really likes that microscope, Edward. Played with it all day."

"There's a lab out by you that we're hoping to do business with, they have a junior scientist club, meets on Saturdays or something. I can make a call if you like, see about getting Oscar in?"

Jasper nods, smiling at me. "That might be something he'd like. It's been hard to figure out what that is. He's so quiet."

"Well the poor kid was thrust into this mayhem just a few months ago, I wouldn't talk to any of you either," my father says as he bites into my mother's tiramisu.

We all ignore him. "You gotta just keep spending time with him, you'll figure it out," I say, distracted, as I see Bella on the side of the room taking off her server's apron and hugging one of the other women. Looking at my watch, I see it's not quite nine-thirty.

Is she bailing on me? Did she think better of having dinner with someone that's leaving in a week? It was selfish of me to insist and keep asking, I suppose.

But there's something about her...

"Excuse me." Getting up from the table, I follow her until she's out in the hallway, and realize I'm about to come off like a creepy stalker, but it's too late to worry about that because she's seen me. "Bella, are you done for the night?"

Thankfully, she doesn't look alarmed as she smiles. "Did you have a nice Christmas dinner?"

"Yeah, it was great. The oysters Rockefeller was to die for." I wave my hand between us. "I thought we…"

"We what?" Her eyes narrow, a look of confusion on her face.

"Uh, I thought that we had a deal..."

"Look, I hate to cut you off, but I have to go." I stare at her, trying not to act surprised or pissed that she's blowing off our… whatever it is. She begins to walk towards the ladies' room, leaving me in the lounge open-mouthed, staring at her retreating back. Turning back towards me, she continues. "I've gotta go get myself ready, I have a hot date at the big tree tonight. Don't want to show up like I just served a hundred people dinner."

I smile. She called it a _date_. "You are a mean one, Elf Bella."

She pushes the door open and winks at me. "I have 364 days to get myself off the naughty list, I'm not worried."

* * *

The whole family protests when I claim I'm going to bed instead of having a nightcap in the lobby by the big fireplace to watch the karaoke listed on the resort's activity list. Emmett side-eyes me, but lets it slide as he has his song all picked out, and I feel sorry for all the guests that have to watch him gyrate as he tries to do his Elvis impression to "Hound Dog".

After retrieving my coat from my room, I hang back from the others exiting the elevator and hide behind them, before I double back towards the tree, trying to camouflage myself on the other side to meet Bella. As I'm staring through the branches trying to catch sight of her and making sure no one has seen me, I jump when a voice chimes in my ear.

"Who are we spying on?" Bella is next to me, peering through the branches, the lights from the tree making her cheeks blue and her eyes sparkle.

"I really don't think we want to get diverted and end up singing "Paradise by the Dashboard Lights" with my parents."

She laughs, watching as they take the metaphorical stage. "I bet they're pretty good."

"Let's not wait to find out. You have a coat?" She nods and holds it up, so I grab her hand and snake our way through the small crowd that's gathered, both of us hunkering down and slinking towards the door. Her hand grips mine and I hear her giggle when the off-key baritone of my father begins to fill the room. The action causes me to interlace my fingers with hers as I lead her towards the double oak doors.

Once outside, she laughs fully, her breath puffing out in front of her in the cold night air. "I think your Dad got on his knees back there. Quite the start."

"He's never been one to do things half-assed."

We walk towards the front of the resort, where people are lined up to take a sleigh ride, complete with horses dressed as reindeer pulling ornate, velvet sleds. "The hotel doesn't, either," Bella comments and walks towards the end of the line.

I pull her away. "Nor does Edward Cullen. Sleigh rides… too predictable."

"Oh? Then what are we doing?"

I just smile as I lead her towards another area off the side of the resort. Our boots make crunching noises in the snow, and I ask her nervously if she has gloves and a hat. It didn't occur to me to bring an extra pair Alice made just in case. She pulls some blue balls of yarn from her pockets with a grin and pulls on a pair of fuzzy gloves. I take her hat and put it on her head, trying to get the urge to kiss her in this perfect setting from my mind.

"How do you feel about snowmobiling?"

Her eyes widen while a grin begins to crawl over her face. "I feel pretty good about it."

"I booked us with a small nighttime tour, I hope that's okay?" She follows me to where the snowmobiles are lined up, four in a row. Shaking hands with Ernie, the guy I booked the tour with today, I look at the machine. How hard could it be? I've driven motorcycles and stuff, I'm a strong guy.

There's two other couples already seated on the machines, so Bella and I walk to the one that's unoccupied. Pulling my beanie down farther on my head, I put the goggles Ernie handed me over my eyes, watching Bella do the same. "Do you mind if I give it a try first?" She asks, pointing at the apparatus.

Surprised but not unwilling, I nod. "Yeah, sure, just let me know when you need to switch." The snowmobile looks heavy, and she's worked all day, she must be exhausted.

We climb on and as I'm seated behind her, I flail my arms a bit, unsure of where they should go. Ernie tells everyone the basic operating skills, reassuring us all that we'll start slow and work our way up to gaining speed. As the others are about to turn on the machines, checking and re-checking foot placement, where the on/off switch is and the headlights, Bella starts the machine up quickly.

As I put my hands tentatively on top of her shoulders, she grabs them and pulls them around her waist so my chest is pressed to her back. "You might want to hold on," Bella yells over the roar of the engine, before she pulls away from the others and salutes Ernie with a wave.

She moves the machine expertly, gliding over the well-worn snow path under the lights that line the trail. Up and over a small hill, the snow under our treads kicks up behind us as she cuts right around a curve much faster than she probably should. My arms are around her body, holding on so I don't get thrown off. "I get the feeling you've done this before," I shout, the cold air whipping me in the face.

She turns her head slightly. "When I'm not an elf, bartending, or serving dinner, I might be a snowmobile instructor!"

We continue at a fast clip, riding the trail until she veers off near a thicket of trees. Between the tall pines, she guides the what I know now is the familiar-to-her machine on a narrow path barely lit by the full moon and the headlight shining in front of us. It's exhilarating, moving across the fresh powder with the cold air flying past us, my arms tucked around Bella's body making me feel like it's a good fit. I have to admit, I'm turned on by this small girl wielding this powerful appliance like it's a simple toy.

We ride for a bit, and I can see that Bella keeps us on a deserted trail from the others, but still within sight distance of the big hotel on the mountain. She finally pulls to a stop, turning the engine off so there's nothing around us but silence. I lean back, my arms sadly sliding from her waist. She turns, flipping the goggles off to sit them on top of her hat. The look in her eyes is strange, and I wonder what she's thinking. "I didn't steal your thunder, did I?"

"Hell no! That was the most fun I've had in a long time." Relief washes over her face as I slide my own goggles up.

"Good, I didn't mean to hijack your surprise… or whatever, but it was just too tempting _not_ to." She grins huge, as bright as the snow. "I hope I didn't emasculate you. A big, burly man taking a girl out on a snowmobile."

Her cheeks are pink, the ends of her hair tangled in a web underneath the edge of her hat. The moon is high and smiling down at us, a light snowfall just starting to dust the shoulders of her jacket.

"Bruised my ego maybe a bit." I smile, brushing a bit of snow off the end of my nose.

"Hey, it takes a guy with a lot of confidence to ride bitch." She cringes slightly, maybe not knowing quite if I'll find that funny or offensive.

"This big, burly man has no problem being the chick in this situation. Being wrapped around you flying at a high speed was quite enjoyable." Her eyes widen slightly and she looks down, a shy smile on her face.

I weigh my options, the timing of it all, and say 'fuck it'. "There are other things this big, burly man can do." Pulling my gloves off, my hands reach up to warm her cheeks, her eyes darting back and forth from my eyes to my mouth and back again.

"Oh? What's that?"

"Kiss a naughty elf that knows how to awesomely drive a snowmobile." With that as the only warning, my mouth descends as a little squeak comes from her before her mouth welcomes me. As warm lips touch mine, I can't help but think back to how miserable I thought I was going to be on this trip just six months ago, and now, here I am kissing a beautiful girl in the snow on Christmas night.

 _Merry fucking Christmas to me!_

* * *

 _ **CarrieZM and Layathomemom don't do anything half-assed either.**_

 _ **Wishing you all a Merry Christmas, or whatever you celebrate on this day! I'm so incredibly thankful that you've decided to spend the holidays with me!**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

* * *

 _December 26_

Emmett has me up early the next day to ski, something he's had more experience with than I thanks to numerous spring break trips to Vermont. Despite my beginner status, I'm game and rent the big shoes and foreign objects with a spring in my step. Gracie decides she'd like to try, so Rosalie agrees to chaperone her on the bunny hill while Emmett talks me into trying a slightly bigger hill.

"No fucking way," I exclaim, looking at a 'hill' that resembles Mount Everest.

"You'll be fine. I'll coach you, I'm an awesome teacher, and besides, you're an athlete."

"I don't care how good you think you are, there's no way you're getting me up that thing. And I ran track in college, that's the extent of my athleticism."

"For a lab geek you're coordinated at least. You can do this." I shake my head. "Fine, we'll go down the beginner hill first. Wuss."

"Call me what you want, I'm not about to break my legs when I still have six days of vacation left."

Gliding to the hill with the much smaller lift option, Emmett surprises me. "You gonna see Bella again in those six days?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Your excuse last night didn't play, bro. I saw you sneaking out with her while Dad was doing his best Meat Loaf imitation."

"We just went for a snowmobile ride, that's all." My face must show otherwise, as Emmett pulls his goggles up and stares at me.

"Dude! You got laid!"

"Stop being a crude dick. No, I did not. What kind of a scumbag would I be if I slept with her knowing I was leaving in a week?"

"Uh, the kind that has a vacation fling. Happens all the time."

 _Does_ it happen all the time? The girl I've come to know, albeit minutely, doesn't appear to be the type to have a fling with a guest. If she were, she might not have turned me down at first and then seemed hesitant before finally saying yes.

And that kiss last night would've turned into much, much more based on how perfect it was.

"Well, I'm not the type to do that, and I don't think she is either."

After we broke said perfect kiss, I took over as driver and drove us back to the beginning of the trail, Bella's arms around me and her chin tucked on my shoulder. She was talking in my ear as we rode, telling me what to do, which way to go, but she could've been reading the dictionary for all I knew, that's how distracting the feel of her breath and lips on my ear was.

 _Powering down the snowmobile, Bella takes our goggles and puts them in the box they belong in, before turning to me._

" _That was refreshing; I don't normally get to ride freely like that without a bunch of novices following me."_

" _It was fun, you're full of surprises. Exactly how many jobs do you have here at this resort?"_

 _She shrugs. "I like to keep busy, try new things. I'm not one to sit behind a desk all day. I like variety."_

" _Well, can I convince my snowmobile instructor to have a nightcap and warm up?"_

 _She shifts on her feet, fiddling with her gloves. "I should go, actually. I have a dog that is probably crossing his legs right now."_

 _My disappointment is startlingly sharp. "Oh, sure. Um, are you working tomorrow?"_

" _I have the day off, since I worked both holidays."_

 _I try to make an offer, not wanting to let go of her just yet. "Let me walk you to your car, at least."_

 _She smiles, but it feels weak, not like all the other smiles she's given me. "Look, Edward. I got caught up back there. The adrenaline, the snow, the moonlight… you're a really great guy but honestly, you're leaving soon, right? I mean, it's been nice meeting you, but…"_

" _Stop right there." I grab her hand, the fuzzy glove not allowing me to feel her skin. "I know we just met, and I don't live anywhere near here, but I'd like to get to know you better. We can be friends, Bella. I'm a good friend." I smile, trying to lay on the charm while my hand rolls her fingers back and forth in mine._

" _Friends," she deadpans._

" _Sure, why not? I'm here with my family for another week and you've seen what they're like. I'm sure I'm going to need someone to bail me out and rescue me from complete embarrassment." She cocks her head to the side, assessing me, assessing my words. I try one last time to sway her. "Might as well be someone that knows their way around this place to show me where to hide."_

 _She laughs, turning her eyes down to look at our hands. Pulling hers from mine, she holds it out into a more proper handshake. "Friends. I could use a friend, I suppose. There's a chance I'll be around tomorrow to collect my share of tips from dinner. Maybe I'll see you then, pal."_

Coming back to the here and now, I deflect my brother's questions about last night and tell him to show me the basic skiing moves I'll need.

We go down the small hill a few times and find I'm not bad at it, so we take a stab at a bigger hill, which I'm also not bad at. I draw the line at the expert mountain, though, and leave Emmett to go it alone while I seek out Rose and Gracie on the bunny hill.

"Hey Gracie-girl! You're doing great!"

"Watch, Uncle Edward!" I do as my niece says and watch as she pushes off with her right foot, gliding down the hill with her skis pointed towards each other like an expert.

"Perfect!"

"Hey Edward, she's about to become a living, breathing snow cone, would you mind taking her in if you're done? I'd like to try and kick Emmett's ass on the expert hill."

"I would do anything for you to be able to show that schmuck up." She thanks me and pushes off towards the lift. Looking down at Gracie, her nose is red and her lips are shivering. "What do you say to a nice hot cup of cocoa?"

"I say yes!"

Together, we make our way to the rental booth and discard all our gear. The tree is still up in the lobby, twinkling and inviting, but the Santa booth is deserted, reminding me I won't get a glimpse of Bella dressed as an elf ever again. Gracie and I settle into a big, leather couch near the fireplace and sip our drinks, perfectly content with the warm liquid heating our hands as she fills me in on all the gross things her baby sisters do.

My phone vibrates in my pocket and I fish it out, only to see a text from my co-worker, Mike.

 _Hey Edward. Sorry to bother you on vacation, but we need someone to fill out a missing form at the new lab we want to partner with or we can't work with them. It's right where you are, would you mind?_

The only reason I don't groan and text back that he's a dillweed and to leave me alone is because the new lab is supposed to be state of the art - something I really wouldn't mind taking a look at.

Ignoring it for now, I fiddle with my camera app to take a picture of Gracie by the fire and see the last picture I took was of Bella as an elf two days before. I smile at the outfit and then feel creepy that I kept it without her knowing.

Not creepy enough to delete it, though.

I have 363 days to get off the naughty list, plenty of time to get rid of it before next year.

* * *

Everyone is exhausted from a full day playing outdoors in the fresh air and snow, so we decide to do our own thing for dinner and make plans to meet up in the lobby for the resort's Trivia Night.

I take the opportunity to order room service and call Mike back to make arrangements for me to get out to the lab tomorrow, thinking about how maybe it's something Oscar would like to come do with me. While we were all outside building a snowman earlier, I grabbed a few winter plants for him to study with the microscope, and according to Alice, he immediately ran to the toy to start his examination as soon as they got to their room.

Thinking about Alice's new family makes me frown, stewing about how I'm the last single Cullen, and at thirty-four have no likelihood of starting a family anytime soon. I don't want to be the creepy uncle that lives near his siblings and gloms onto his nieces and nephews and invites himself on family outings, but Miami has lost its appeal, and I can't see staying there by myself any longer.

I suppose moving to Georgia, near my parents and Emmett, is the best choice. Why start over somewhere new where I'm still alone? Sighing, I put my sneakers on, knowing that if I even hint at this new idea of mine, my mother will start calling realtors and shopping for furniture. Best keep it to myself for now.

The party is in full swing when I make it downstairs, my family taking up a corner and trying to decide on a team name.

"Cullen's Crew!" My mother suggests, sipping something out of a snifter while holding one of the twins.

Emmett chimes in while wiping spit up off of Alex's head, who doesn't seem to notice he just got barfed on while he's shoving a cookie in his mouth. "More like Cullen's Catastrophe."

"Cullen's Colons," my surgeon father helpfully adds while pulling lint off of his red sweater, resplendent with an array of elves surrounding a stripper on a pole all yelling "HO HO HO".

Sliding into a leather armchair and pulling Gracie on my lap, I offer, "Edward and Gracie's Minions," to a resounding chorus of groans and complaints of favoritism.

"We're not _all_ Cullens," Alice adds, craning her neck stealthily towards Jasper and Oscar with her eyes wide and pleading. "I'm going to be a Whitlock. Maybe something neutral."

"How about The Griswolds?" Bella stands over our group, arms crossed and smiling down at us.

"Elf Bella!" Gracie yells. "Why aren't you at the North Pole now that Santa is done?"

"We're finished for the season. Santa gives us a week off until we have to start making toys again."

Gracie seems to accept this as truth and then asks her to sit down with us.

"Oh, no, but thank you. I was just picking something up. You guys enjoy your family time. The trivia is fun."

"Bella, please, we insist," my father gets up with a dramatic bow to offer her his seat, which is unfortunately as far from me as possible over on the big couch next to my mother. "After dealing with us you need a drink. Rachel!" My father calls out to the waitress in the lobby, a redhead who's become very familiar with my family and our drinking habits. He looks down to Bella. "What'll you have?"

Bella sits, looking slightly uncomfortable. "Um, how about a bourbon, neat?" My father beams at her like she's just complimented his outfit.

"My kind of girl!" He places Bella's order and sits in the last unoccupied seat, which is next to me and would've suited Bella just fine.

My mother leans into our new guest. "Between the lot of us, we have a ton of useless knowledge stored up, but we can use all the help we can get." Bella laughs slightly and shifts in her seat, looking around the group, until her gaze lands on me, where she gives me a warm smile and crosses her eyes to make me laugh.

 _Hi_ , I mouth silently, smiling back.

The game gets under way after all the kids but the twins are hustled off to the playroom under a threatened Matt's iPad-free watchful eye. The MC by the fireplace reminds everyone to use their buzzers instead of shouting answers, which my father forgets quickly, shouting from his seat the wrong answers to everything. Bella can't stop laughing while my mother tells him to stop so that we have a chance to win the grand prize, something she wants desperately, a case of wine.

Answering questions about celebrities, sports, and 70s TV shows, we're tied for first against a family from Canada until we get to a question that has us all stumped. We sit with our brains moving and our hands over the buzzer until suddenly Bella sits up and slams her hand down. "A collar!" She yells when called on, and we all look at her with surprise on our faces.

"How'd you know what a dominant gifts his submissive with?" Rose asks, eyebrows raised.

"Um, I read a lot of fanfiction."

"Yeah, right!" Emmett snorts. "You got a live one here, Eddie!" All eyes are wide and on me, including Bella's, which are also wide, but with what I can only describe as alarm.

"Is that right?" My mother asks, a sly grin filling her features.

"No, Edward and I are just friends. In fact, we cemented that deal last night. Just friends." She repeats unnecessarily with a nod of her head, either for my mother's benefit or mine, I'm not sure.

"I apologize for my family," I say, as the voucher for the prize is handed over to my mother amid a round of applause from the crowd. "I can't give them back."

To her credit, she smiles and laughs. "It's fine. Don't apologize. Be happy you have them."

Crap. Mouth, meet foot. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"

"Don't. It's okay." She waves me off. "It's not a very recent development." She turns to Rose who is questioning her about BDSM as Alice looks at me curiously.

I shake my head at her, not about to explain Bella's situation, one I'm not really sure of, especially with her present. "Oh, hey. I actually wanted to ask you and Jasper something. I have to go to a lab in town tomorrow, and I thought a tour might be something Oscar would enjoy. Do you think you'd want to bring him?"

Alice's eyes light up and she calls Jasper to get his attention, as he's also listening to the BDSM conversation. She tells him what I said and he agrees wholeheartedly. "Let me ask him, but I'm sure he'd want to."

"Where are you going?" My mother pipes up, making Rose and Bella look over.

"Edward is going to take Oscar to a lab tomorrow, he's really been into that microscope, so maybe…" she trails off, hopeful.

"Oh, how nice! I wouldn't mind going into town myself, actually. Do some after-Christmas shopping!" Everyone jumps on the bandwagon, wanting to get out of the resort and see the area for a while.

"I can set you up with one of the hotel vans. I have some pull." Bella grins, and my mother is on her immediately.

"Splendid! In fact, why don't you come with us, if you're not working? Be our own local tour guide?" When Bella doesn't answer right away, my mother continues. "Oh, I didn't even think to ask if you were a resident or just come up for the winter season."

"I do live here, year round, just outside of town. I'd be happy to map out some great stores."

"Nonsense, come with if you're not working." My mother eyes me over Bella's head. "Right, Edward?"

I give her a blank stare. "I'm going to a lab, not shopping. I'm not sure Bella wants to spend the day with an overbearing family she doesn't know," I say, trying to give her an out, admittedly, not tactfully.

My mother ignores me. "We can all take the van. Right Bella? Drop them off and continue on our way?"

"I'm sure it won't be a problem."

"And you're not working?"

Bella looks around the group unsure, but Rose nudges her in the leg and smiles, so she agrees. "Sure, I'd love to show you around."

* * *

 **CarrieZM and Layathomemom deserve to win all the wine.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

* * *

 ** _December 27_**

"Hope she didn't stand you up, bro," Emmett whispers to me out the side of his mouth while we're all standing outside the next morning in the cold, crisp air, waiting for the van.

"I'm not even going with you, Emmett. If anything, she's standing all of _you_ up." Even while I'm saying this, though, I'm looking around trying to catch sight of her, feeling anxious. She made the van arrangements for us last night, letting us know it would pick us up outside at ten-thirty, and she'd meet us under the heaters above the entranceway.

A few moments later, a white van with the resort's name on the side pulls up, so I give one last glance around and through the glass lobby doors, thinking maybe she ran inside for something.

"Good morning! Everyone ready?" Bella's familiar voice chimes out over the slam of a car door, and she's there, sliding the side of the van open for us. She's got a bright smile on her face and a big, furry hat on her head.

"Bella! I didn't know you drove the van too, is there anything you don't do?" my mother asks, patting our tour guide on the arm.

"I don't usually, only when they're in a pinch."

"This is supposed to be your day off, too," I mention while helping my mother step up into the van.

Bella shrugs. "It's still my day off, they had a van free. Didn't want another employee driving me around when I'm perfectly capable." The girl keeps surprising me. Her work ethic, her kindness… I'm beginning to like her much more than I should for someone I'm going to be leaving in a few days.

Once my family climbs into the van, leaving me the front seat of course, which I hope Bella doesn't realize is as obvious as it is, I jump in next to her. I tell Bella the lab's address and we pull out, driving down the resort's long driveway to the harsh strains of my father's voice belting "Row Row Row Your Boat".

I roll my eyes at Bella, who just grins, turning the van out onto the main road. We drive for a while, everyone oooh'ing and aaah'ing at the surrounding scenery, unlike anything except Jasper and Alice have nearby. Large, snow-capped mountains dwarf us all around, and it truly is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. Bella chats a little about the area, history, and other things that are worth seeing in Colorado.

My family gets into a heated discussion about the merits of growing your own pot behind us, so Bella and I fall into our own conversation. "So you're visiting a lab while you're here? Doesn't seem very vacation-like."

"It's unfortunately work-related."

"Oh? Is this lab actually a dispensary?" She throws a thumb towards the back of the van and gives me a smirk. "What is it that you do you do back home in… I don't even know where you're from."

"Miami. And no, not a dispensary." I laugh. "I'm a pathologist."

"Wow. Sounds- "

"Boring. He's a lab geek," Emmett chimes in helpfully from the seat directly behind Bella. I glare at him, hoping he understands the look I'm throwing of 'hey, nice way to help a brother out'.

Bella looks in the rearview mirror at him. "And what is it that _you_ do?"

"I own a boxing gym. I manage a few guys on the amateur circuit."

"Sounds meat-heady." Bella wrinkles her nose but throws him a wink. He just smiles and gives me a thumbs-up behind her seat. "Pathology. That's testing body parts and lymph nodes and things, right?"

"It is. It's actually way more interesting than my brother makes it sound."

Bella shrugs. "Sounds pretty good to me, you're helping people essentially, right? Besides, I like geeks." She smiles at me, before asking for the number for the lab again. I'm bummed to see we're already on the street where it's located.

Bella looks surprised when Alice, Jasper, and Oscar climb out once she's pulled to a stop.

Opening my door, I turn to explain. "My… nephew seems to have an interest in it, so they're tagging along with me. We'll find you all later."

"Here." Bella reaches for a pen and paper nestled in the van's console. "This is my cell. Call me when you're done and I'll come back to get you."

"You don't have to do that, I'm sure we can call a cab."

"I'm gonna need a break from your family, right? You always say _you_ do." She laughs, handing me the paper. Taking it, I get out and shut the door, and the four of us watch as they pull away.

I look down at my new nephew. "You ready, Oscar?" He looks at the building, but doesn't answer, just gives me a nod. Despite this small gesture, he looks more excited than I've seen him this entire vacation as Jasper takes his hand and they follow me inside.

* * *

The lab is incredible, the research facility all new and shiny. I'm like a kid in a candy store, following a fellow pathologist named Ben around as he points out cutting edge equipment and machinery. Once we get the business out of the way, Ben takes us on a thorough tour. Alice and Jasper seem interested enough, but Oscar is thrilled and listening with a keen ear to everything Ben says about the items around him. He even finds his voice and asks a few questions when we get to the lab with the medical-grade microscopes.

Ben offers to let Oscar look at something through one of them, so I choose a slide for him that contains a drop of blood labeled as a healthy test subject. We look at the cells and compare them to a not-so-healthy example. Oscar seems to be following what I'm explaining, even offering his own observations of what makes the samples different.

Once we've exhausted every area non-employees are allowed to visit, and Ben and I have discussed and compared our work thoroughly, we say our goodbyes and thank you's to him, both Ben and I saying we'll keep in touch.

I'm feeling good about the visit. I believe Oscar really enjoyed his time here and hope I have a future lab geek in the making to share notes with in the future. Alice and Jasper are chatty and joyous, sharing something their son seems to have real interest in.

On our way out, I feel Oscar's hand tentatively sliding into mine. "Thank you, Uncle Edward." I hear Alice's sharp intake of breath behind me at the familial moniker, a first as far as I know for any of the Cullen's. "That was a lot of fun!"

Squeezing his hand and leaning down, I get on eye level with Oscar. "Anytime, buddy. That was fun for me, too. Next time I visit, we'll come back here." And I know it's a promise I'll keep.

We continue walking out of the building, ready to call Bella. "So your lab isn't like this one?" Oscar asks.

"No, mine's not nearly as fancy and new. I wish it was." Smiling down at him, I reach for my phone in my pocket.

"If you don't like it as much, you should work here, instead." he says innocently with a shrug, and I stop short, mid-dial.

 _Huh._

* * *

In the van on the way to the shopping area, I can't stop thinking about it. I _have_ been contemplating moving, that's not a new idea, but it took that simple phrase to make me see Colorado as an option I hadn't thought of.

To say I liked that lab a lot is an understatement. I appreciate the ground-breaking work that's going on there according to what Ben was describing. The chance to expand my own knowledge utilizing cutting edge technology is something I hadn't realized I'd been lacking until now. My facility is great, but it's not anything like what I just left.

I move my compelling train of thought to the back burner for now, but make a note to call Ben later to see if there is any opportunity there for me. It can't hurt to just ask.

Bella parks and we stroll through what is truly a breathtaking shopping area. The town is nestled in a valley surrounded by the majestic, snow-capped mountains, and it's decorated like nothing I've ever seen in Florida. It's a postcard-worthy scene, with snow on the ground, lights in the trees and quaint shops lining a center square. It's exactly what I was envisioning and hoping for when I booked the trip.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Alice says to me, pointing out stores she likes. "I don't get out this way nearly as much as I'd like. Do you come here often?" she asks Bella.

"I don't have the bank account to shop here much, but I do come somewhat regularly. There's some great places to have dinner and hang out at night. And of course, the celebrity watching is pretty amazing."

"Yes, it is! I saw Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell last time I was here."

"I had breakfast next to Kevin Costner once. He borrowed my salt." Bella and Alice continue to compare notes, realizing they both enjoy a lot of the same places in town.

We continue to stroll down the picturesque street, on our way to meet at the restaurant my family has settled on for lunch. I slow to take a few pictures and Bella hangs back with me, letting Alice lead the way.

"You hesitated when you said nephew in the van earlier. What's that all about?" Bella asks as she rubs her mittened hands together.

"He's new to our family. It's been a fairly tough transition for them. This week is the first time I've met him." I shrug. "I guess I hadn't called him anything up until then."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get all up in your business."

"I don't mind." On instinct, I grab Bella's hand and rub it between mine to warm her up. I'm pleased when she doesn't pull away. "Jasper just found out he existed a few months ago. Got a call that an ex overdosed, and ta-da, she left behind a son he didn't know about."

"Oh wow, that must've been a shock."

"Yes, but a good one, I think. I feel bad for the kid, we're still not sure exactly the extent of his environment, but Jasper is thrilled. Alice, too… they had just gotten engaged when they found out so they've put the wedding on hold for now to let life settle around Oscar before getting wrapped up in planning something big like that."

"Your family seems like really good people."

"Even my Dad? Did you see his sweater today?" I make a face, thinking about the blue garment with the cartoon dog peeing on a frowning snowman.

"His sense of humor is unique, I'll give you that." Bella pulls me to catch up to my family.

"If you say so. I'm on pins and needles waiting to see what he'll have in store for New Year's Eve."

We fall silent, our arms lightly swinging between us. Friends don't just hold hands, right? Maybe this is a good sign she's warming up to me.

She clears her throat. "You're leaving the next day, I'm assuming? Most guests stay for the big New Year's party but then that's pretty much the end of the holiday vacation season."

My stomach tumbles at her words, the lightness I was just feeling deflated by reality setting in for two reasons. One, I'll have to go back to my lonely existence in Florida until I figure something out - vacation over, and two, it hits me that I don't have much time left to spend with her.

"Yeah, my flight leaves at eight-thirty the next morning."

"Pretty early, better watch that hangover." She smiles faintly.

"We have five days left, let's not talk about it." I bump her in the shoulder, making her stumble.

"Oh, we're a 'we' now, huh?"

The conversation ends there when we reach the restaurant, a big grin on my face reflecting the one on hers. I touch her back lightly as I hold the door open for her and whisper low in her ear, sure her big, furry hat will prevent her from hearing. "There may be a possibility for that after all."

* * *

We're ambling happily as a big group through the square, laughing and joking, making our way back to the van after lunch and a few hours of shopping. I'm happy and pleasantly surprised that for the most part, Bella stayed close to me during the excursion, giving her opinions on the few shirts I bought and making fun of my need to purchase every tchotchke in the souvenir shop that had a moose on it. It's effortless between us, her skewed sense of humor fits in with my family perfectly and the comfortable ease I feel being near her is growing. We talked about small things, favorite foods, books, etcetera, but the conversation never stopped, our questions to each other firing quickly between us. Making fun of each other feels natural, too, like when she teased me about my choice of favorite movie, Die Hard, and I gagged at her preferred genre of music - hair metal from the 80s.

There's been some touching, too. Her hand on my arm, my hand on her back, her hip bumping mine with every joke told at my expense by my family trying to embarrass us. It feels right, like she was supposed to be here with us. I try to picture Carmen in her place and find I can't really see it at all.

Passing the Hotel Jerome, Alice gets excited and points at the bar attached. "We should get Mom and Dad to watch all the kids tonight and come to J-Bar. It's my favorite."

"Mine too!" Bella chimes in, and she and Alice try to figure out if they'd ever been there at the same time, and start comparing past evenings.

Some grownup time with my siblings sounds perfect, maybe I can bounce the general idea of moving off of them without involving my mother's crazy too soon. "I think it's a great idea," I say, and taking a chance that Bella's feeling the need to spend more time with me, I pull her into my side, shaking her shoulders a bit. "What do you say, Bella? Think you want to deal with us a little longer?"

I expect her to hesitate, make an excuse, look uncomfortable, but she surprises me by agreeing immediately. My arm stays across her shoulders as my parents agree to their babysitting duties, and we make plans to meet back here later tonight. Bella tells us she'll arrange again for the van to drop us off and pick us up, while she gets an Uber. It's on the tip of my tongue to offer for her to just stay and hang out in my room until then, but I remember the dog she has and figure a small break can't hurt to make sure she doesn't get sick of me.

Because I plan on staying very, very close to her tonight.

* * *

The warm wood and leather interior of the bar feels welcoming after the blast of winter we just had to walk through to make it inside. Although the entrance is only a few feet from the van, a pretty heavy snowfall decided to descend just as we were arriving, satisfying the little kid in me to no end and making me giddy as I brush snow off of my shoulders.

The bar is crowded, but not crazy, and Alice snags us a small, round table in the corner. Pulling six metal-studded leather chairs together, I keep an eye out for Bella which everyone notices and comments on immediately.

"She's going to show up, don't worry, Edward." Alice thanks the waitress who's taken our drink order and pats me on the arm. "Why aren't you wearing the new sweater I made you? The orange color is perfect for your green eyes."

"Saving it for New Year's."

She sits up, excited. "Really?"

"No."

"Jerk." I smile and rub her head, something she's hated since she was a kid so she swats my hand away and sticks her tongue out. "So what do you expect to happen with Bella anyway? You're only here for a few more days."

"He was supposed to just get laid. He's trying to get to _know_ her," Emmett interjects, placing his big, meaty hands over his heart.

"Well, actually," I begin, but before I can start talking about what's been on my mind lately, I see Bella coming through the door, followed by a large gust of wind that peppers the floor in snow. She's taking off her big hat and shaking out her hair when she sees us, giving a wave and making her way over.

"I, for one, think she's great," Rosalie says, scooting her chair over so Bella has room to squeeze her way into the one conveniently empty next to mine.

"Who's great?" Bella smiles and pulls her mittens off, placing them on her lap.

"You. We took a vote." Rose winks.

Laughing, Bella's cheeks redden. "Looks like I arrived at just the right time. Always good to get an ego boost from a bunch of people you just met." She places her order with the waitress delivering our first round.

"Unfair. You've known us for days now, seeing us at our worst." Emmett takes a slug of his beer, leaving behind a foam mustache.

Rose throws a thumb his way. "I present article number one into evidence."

I sip my lager. "Evidence number two, three, and four have to go to Dad's sweaters." We all jump on the bandwagon and tease Alice for humoring him, the conversation evolving into truly raunchy sweater ideas we're convinced she could make millions from selling.

Catching up with my siblings is beyond enjoyable, I don't get to spend quality time with them or their spouses, and I honestly like Rose and Jasper. We get a few more rounds, joking and laughing, and I'm even more convinced that I need to move near family. Alice mentions that she hopes Oscar is having fun back at the resort with his new cousins, so Jasper tells her he'll call our folks to check on him. He leans down to give her a kiss on her head and gets up to make the call outside. Such a simple gesture, but one I'm jealous of.

Bella shifts in her seat, facing Alice. "Edward told me about Oscar, he sounds like a special little boy. Did he like the lab?"

Alice's eyes light up. "He loved it! Couldn't stop talking about it and wants to work there when he grows up. Edward's Christmas gift really opened up a lot of communication for the three of us."

"Oh? What gift?" Bella turns to me, curious.

"I got him a microscope. I didn't really know what to get him, I'm glad it worked out."

"So you didn't know he had an interest before?"

"We didn't know what _any_ of his interests were," Alice says.

I shrug. "Nope. Just got him what was one of my favorite things when I was around his age."

"Don't sell yourself short, Edward," Alice interjects, leaning in close to Bella. "He was so sweet with him when he gave it to him. There's Oscar, so sad and lost, and here comes Edward showing him what it was for, spending time with a boy he doesn't know when he's got all his nieces and nephews vying for his attention."

Bella looks at me. "Sounds special."

"He is," Alice says, which makes me shake my head.

"She meant the gift, Alice."

Bella takes a sip of her drink, her eyes meeting mine over the rim. "No, I didn't."

* * *

After the night is over and we're all pleasantly tipsy, I tell the others to go back on the van, that I'll take Bella's Uber with her to make sure she gets home safe in the storm and have it return me to the resort after.

No one looks surprised at my plan.

They load their drunk asses into the vehicle, and Bella lets out a loud 'ha' when a very helpful Emmett hoists Rose up by her butt and gives it a good slap. I consider doing that to her when I hold the backseat door for her but figure we're not quite at that stage yet.

We only go a few blocks before I tell the driver to pull over and wait for us.

"Where are we going?" Bella asks, but takes the hand offered without hesitation to help her out of the car we just got in.

"Humor me." We're in the middle of the deserted town, empty due to the bars closing and the storm still underway. I clasp her hand tighter and walk across the snow-laden square, under the old-fashioned, pine-wrapped lamp posts that makes the falling snowflakes glow with miniature, sparkling halos.

We travel in silence on the path between the wooden benches, our hands joined until Bella pulls free and loops her arm through mine, pulling me closer. "What are we doing?" she whispers, the dead quiet of snow falling peaceful around us.

"We're walking in the snow."

We continue on the path a bit more, Bella sticking out her tongue to catch snowflakes. "Is this some sort of bucket list situation?"

"In a way."

"Very cryptic."

Ahead of us, big snow sculptures stand tall. A snowman, a dog, a tree made of ice, and we circle around them, feeling dwarfed by their presence. I sigh, the alcohol making me reflective. "Part of the allure of coming to Aspen for Christmas with my family was spending it with my ex. Snow angels, skiing, all of it."

"Your ex?"

"Yup. We were supposed to come together, but that didn't work out. Ended over six months ago, thankfully, but the excitement to do these things is still here." I tap my chest.

Bella looks up at me with big, brown, serious eyes. "I'm sorry I'm not the girl you're supposed to be here with."

I turn to her, and put my gloved hands on her face. "You see, Bella, that's what's so perfect about the whole situation." Her eyes move back and forth across mine, a hint of apprehension lying within them.

She licks her lips. "Perfect?"

Leaning down closer to rest my forehead against hers, I can feel the heat between us. "I think I _am_ with that girl."

* * *

 **CarrieZM and Layathomemom are magical snow sculptures, glistening in the moonlight.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

* * *

 _ **December 28**_

The banging on my door doesn't stop, despite the shoe I throw at it to make whoever it is waking me up at this ungodly hour go away.

"Get up, Edward! We have a full day on the slopes ahead of us!" My brother yells through the door, his knocking now becoming a very repetitive pattern similar to what I believe machine gun fire sounds like.

"Is it even light out yet?" Rubbing my eyes, I begrudgingly sit up on the side of the bed. Looking through the sliver in the curtains, I see that there is a very faint, very distant lightening of the sky. Unlocking the deadbolt, Emmett barges in before I can even turn the handle the whole way.

"Sure. It's practically noon. Come on, I'll buy you a coffee."

"You're awfully chipper for someone that drank a keg of beer last night."

"I got laid this morning. Worked out all the toxins."

"Lovely image, thank you. I'll just go throw up now and then brush my teeth."

"You're just jealous." Turning the water on, I realize he's followed me into the bathroom when he lifts the lid to pee. Despite my protests, he continues talking like this is an everyday occurrence. "Don't blame me because you haven't gotten laid in forever."

" _Not_ jealous."

"You still have a chance, should be some hot chicks out on the slopes today."

" _Not_ interested."

"Sure you are. A cute, tight little thing to brighten your sad existence."

Suddenly irritated, I stick my toothbrush in my mouth to end the conversation and push him out the door when he's done defiling my toilet. The only hot chick I have any interest in is Bella.

The girl that kissed _me_ last night. The one that curled herself around me and barely let me come up for air underneath the towering sculptures as we got covered in white, fluffy snow. I smile around a mouthful of foam and remember how happy I was when I returned to my room last night and texted with her until four a.m.

Emmett gives me a strange look as I exit the bathroom, my former cranky self suddenly smiling wide and whistling. "What'd you do in the bathroom, there, Skippy?" His hands wave in the general vicinity of my dick.

"Don't you owe me a coffee?"

* * *

It's a beautiful, bright day, the snow is blinding it's so white and perfect. The slopes are dotted with people and I take in the scenery around me; the sloping, grand peaks and blue, cloudless sky. My breath puffs out in front of me, and I imagine the beauty of this place being what I'd wake up to every day if I were to call this home. I don't think I'd ever get tired of the magnificence of it all.

We decide to get a few practice runs in on the small hill until I'm confident enough to attempt the intermediate and get in the lift line. Emmett nudges me and nods towards a woman in a pink parka and snow pants. Shaking my head, I put my goggles on when we get to the top and take off without him when he attempts to get me to approach her.

At the bottom of each run, Emmett continues to point out every girl that has any sort of figure under bulky ski clothes despite my obvious disinterest. I ignore him for the most part, but it's getting tiresome, so at the end of the next run, when he does it again, I snap.

"Give it a rest, Em. I'm not interested."

Emmett shoves his goggles up, his face red where his skin was exposed to the cold as he nods his head and gives me a smile. "I'm testing you."

"Testing what, exactly?"

"It's Bella. You want Bella."

"You're a genius."

"She's sweet and all, but she doesn't seem like the type to just put out."

His words make me boil. "You're a prick."

He places his big, gloved hands on his chest. "How am I a prick?" When I don't answer right away, his eyes go wide. "You _do_ want her. Like want her, want her."

"What's wrong with that?"

"There's nothing wrong with it, but where do you see it going? You're leaving in four days. The situation isn't ideal for anything but a hookup, and it would be real shitty of you to get to know her like this and then leave her."

"I wouldn't do that…" I trail off, knowing that's exactly what's about to happen despite any plans I've started in my head.

"Let me ask you this, do you really like this girl or the _idea_ of her?"

Leaving his question unanswered, I turn to head back to the resort. I hear Emmett's boots crunching behind me, but he doesn't say anything else, probably knowing he just struck a nerve.

I consider his question and my time with Bella as we return our equipment in silence. There's something about her, something that isn't a one-night stand or even a short-lived fling. The realist in me argues that maybe Emmett's right. Maybe it _is_ just circumstances. That I feel something for her because I'm projecting what I wanted this vacation to be on the first good-looking girl I found.

But the idealist in me can't stop thinking about how I feel when I'm near her. It feels like there's a reason everything happened to get me here alone, a reason everything in my life lately has pointed me towards moving, a reason someone as great as her is single, and there's a reason the lab of my dreams just happens to be here, where she's been all along.

There's only one word for it. Fate.

I shake my head at the absurdity - that the pragmatic and die-hard scientist I've been all my life has become a believer in the very _un_ -scientific idea of fate.

Reaching the resort, the new fantasist in me isn't surprised at all that the first person I see is Bella, serving coffee in steaming mugs to people sitting around the fire. She smiles when she sees me, followed by a wink as she gives me a little wave before she turns.

"I like _her_ , Em." Patting my brother on the back to let him know I'm not angry, I grin. " _And_ the idea of her."

"Well then you should probably take her on a real date. I don't know what the fuck you're doing subjecting her to us if you want to impress her. That wouldn't work on anybody."

* * *

Alice helps me plan the evening, choosing a restaurant to take Bella to after she enthusiastically said yes to my invite. She's not off until eight, so I need a place that won't close too early so I can spend as much time with her as possible.

"Well if you take her to Pine Creek Cookhouse, you have to take a sleigh ride to get there and back from the base of the mountain. That could be really romantic and looks like you could make it work, time-wise. Last sleigh is at nine-thirty."

I look at the pictures on the website Alice pulled up on her laptop. It's gorgeous, no doubt, but the fine dining establishment doesn't feel right. "I don't think so. A bit too obvious and I don't want to rush the evening."

"Hmm. What's her favorite food? We don't really know much about her."

Thinking about the past four days, I have to disagree. "I might not know actual facts about her, but I feel like I have a sense of who she is. I think a more casual evening would be better. Plus, no pressure around all the romance stuff."

"Then take her to Woody Creek Tavern for Mexican. Open late, and it's a bit… eclectic."

Looking at the computer as Alice brings up the website, the bright colors and odd decor scream low-key. "It looks weirdly perfect."

Alice nods in agreement. "All you need is one of Dad's Christmas sweaters."

* * *

Meeting Bella in the lobby after her shift, I see she's changed into a sweater and a tight pair of jeans with those knee high boots on her shapely legs that I like but never get to see on women in Miami. I feel a twinge in my stomach as she reaches up to kiss me on the cheek, her breasts brushing against the front of me and her Christmas cookie scent swirling around us.

The twinge might also be travelling downwards.

To get my mind off of how good she looks and feels, I escort her to Jasper's borrowed car, already warmed up and idling in front of the resort. Buckling her seatbelt, she turns to me. "Do you need a suggestion on a restaurant or…"

"Nope. Do you trust me?" Smiling at her, I take a chance and place my hand over hers in her lap. She curls her fingers around mine easily.

"I do. Unless you're taking me to a restaurant that only serves beets and liver. Then I'll have to cut our evening short."

I make a gagging sound. "Please tell me there isn't one of those in this granola-eating, hippie state. The people here probably think eating disgusting food is good for your chakra or karma or something."

Laughing, she leans against me in the compact car, making me warm all over. "No, but it was my dad's two very favorite foods. I grew up in a house where twice a week, that's what we ate. I've sworn to never eat them again."

"You should try mother's Hungarian goulash. It'll murder your taste buds." We follow the GPS directions, Bella not quite sure where the end result is, which I hope means she's never been there. "Have you always lived here? In Aspen?"

"No, I actually didn't even grow up in Colorado. I came here after my parents died, um…" She trails off, but I give her a few seconds to finish. "It meant something to them, I'd grown up hearing about it but were never able to visit. I just knew this place had a lot of memories for them."

Not wanting the evening to start off on a sad note, I try to move the topic from the death of her parents to something less private. "So did you go to college? Double major in waitressing and bartending, with minors in skimobile instruction and elf etiquette? I'd imagine that last one you probably had to attend a special school for." I grin at her, and take the right turn onto the street the restaurant should be on.

"I did, I studied… oh! Is that where we're going?" Bella interrupts herself, sits up and looks out the window at the building in front of us. "I've been wanting to come here for forever!"

I'm excited by her excitement, and give myself a pat on the back for picking the right place. Looking at the entrance after pulling into a spot, I'm even more sure we're in for a fun evening as I point at what's sitting on top of the awning. "If the wild boar and opossum dressed in a housecoat are any indication, I'm sorry to say there may be liver on the menu."

* * *

We're seated at a corner table under colorful Christmas lights and Moroccan-style lanterns reflecting off the tin ceiling and shining down on odd pictures that cover every inch of wall space. There are polaroids, framed items of unfamiliar origins, and old license plates. It's chaotic and homey, and if Bella's chattiness is any indication, she's digging the vibe. She's smiling, laughing, and touching me, the conversation never hitting a lull or becoming awkward.

And when she doesn't hesitate to order the guacamole extra spicy, I think I'm in love.

"So you never clarified earlier, what you studied in college if it wasn't Elf 101."

"Accounting. I hated it." She shrugs. "So once I figured out I didn't want any job that had anything to do with that _ever_ , I decided to change some things in my life."

"Things? More than just changing majors?"

She shakes her head. "I didn't change majors. I dropped out."

"That would classify as a change, all right. Can I ask, was that before your parents…?"

"After. A lot of things changed after." Bella sips her margarita, licking the salt off her lip.

I assume something sudden, a car accident or something. "I'm sure everything did. Must've been hard to lose them at the same time."

"Almost the same time." Bella looks at me, hesitating. "My parents died of two different types of cancer three months apart."

"Wow," I reply dumbly, stunned by her admission. "We don't need to discuss this, if you don't want to."

"It's okay, I don't get sad talking about them. Plus, you're easy to talk to. I feel like I've known you a long time."

"It's the same for me." I grab her hand across the table. "So, what happened after?" I prompt, wanting to hear more about her road to get here, where fate allowed us to meet.

"So realizing that life is way too fucking short, I quit college, quit my job, quit my boyfriend and drove my Dad's motorcycle to Colorado."

"That takes balls," I say, impressed, feeling like a wuss for staying in Miami alone as long as I have.

"You question my ability to ride a motorcycle?" She smirks.

"I'd be a fool to assume you couldn't." Thinking about Bella perched on a bike wearing leather is about to make me drool. "I meant leaving it all behind. I know you don't have siblings, but there wasn't anyone there you would've missed? An aunt or cousins or something?"

"A few friends, sure. But both of my parents were only children, so no cousins or anything. I guess that's the reason I like being an elf. I never had other kids around, they make me happy." She rests her chin in her hand. "Maybe that's why I'm weirdly fascinated by Rose and Emmett. They have five, which seems like a whole baseball team to me."

"Is that the only reason you approached me that day? You were fascinated by Emmett?" I fake being hurt, putting my hand over my heart and shutting my eyes.

"If you remember correctly, I thought _you_ were Gracie's dad."

I open one eye and slowly smirk at her. "Disappointed I wasn't? You have a dad fetish?"

"Well, I may wear many different hats at the resort, but home-wrecker isn't one of them." She grins and scoops up the last forkful of her enchilada and pushes her plate away. "I approached you 'cause I thought you were hot."

Her statement catches me off guard, and my margarita threatens to leave my mouth as I snort. "Oh yeah, a four hour plane ride from Miami and a three hour stop in Denver really looks good on me."

"Not exactly a skip, hop, and a jump, huh?"

"Not really." I debate telling her about my thoughts on moving to Colorado, but keep it to myself, the idea still too new to get my hopes up. "I'd like to come out and visit Alice and Jasper more, take Oscar to the lab again."

"That would be nice of you." She smiles faintly and sits back. It's on the tip of my tongue to tell her about my idea of moving, but I don't want her to think I'm just saying it to try and get in her pants.

"Maybe we could manage to see each other too, if it's something you wanted," I say, realizing too late how slimy it sounds.

She looks at me but doesn't say anything, and the waitress interrupts by asking us if we'd like something else. Looking at my watch, I see it's already eleven-thirty. Feeling awkward, I say no and ask for the check. There's still silence as we both get up and put on our coats once I've paid, and I fear I really put a damper on the evening.

Walking to the car, I stop her with a hand on her arm. "Listen, Bella, that came out completely wrong. I didn't mean to make it sound like I was after something. I could never-"

Bella's suddenly in my arms, kissing me with all her might, her arms tangled around my neck and her body pressed up against me. I hold her closely, kissing her back with everything I feel for her even though it's been such a short time.

She's the first to break the deep kiss, peppering my mouth with tiny pecks until she stops completely, her lips resting unmoving against mine.

"Spend the night with me, Edward."

* * *

 _ **CarrieZM and Layathomemom are better than extra spicy guacamole.**_


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

* * *

 ** _December 29_**

I don't think. I don't question myself. I just ask.

"Spend the night with me, Edward." Before he can say yes or no, I continue kissing him, conveying in one act how much I want him - this guy I just met but can't stop thinking about when I'm not with him.

Even if it is just for tonight and I'll nurse a fractured heart long after he's gone back to Miami.

I can see it in his eyes as they search mine, eyes that have just apologized, worrying that he sounds like any other tourist out for a vacation fling. It's on the tip of my tongue to tell him I know he's not _that_ guy, the one that makes empty promises even if they're spawned from good intentions.

But in the long run, it won't matter, so I don't.

My lips must convince him so he asks for my address and we drive the short distance to my tiny apartment overlooking the river. He didn't know where I lived before this date, it's just good luck he picked a restaurant so close to me because I don't want time to face reality and change my mind.

We're silent on the ride as my hand moves up and down his thigh, strong and hard as he alternates between the gas and brake. Once we're out of the car, it's a fumbling walk to my door, both of us kissing and pulling on each other.

I'm glad to see the hesitant Edward seemingly long gone when he pushes me up against the wall once I unlock the door, dropping my keys and bag immediately so I can run my hands through his incredibly sexy hair. I grab him and he presses against me, hot and urgent. His cold hands move from my heated cheeks to circle my neck, until I feel him tugging the zipper of my coat down my body.

"I thought you had a dog?" he asks out of nowhere, moving his hands inside my jacket and gripping me around the waist. He nuzzles my neck and begins to kiss me there, his scruffy, manly-scented skin abrasive as I tilt my head to accommodate him.

"I don't have a dog," I answer confused, hazy from the way he's devouring me.

Pulling back, he's smirking at me. "You told me you had a dog the night we went snowmobiling. That's why you couldn't have a drink with me." His thumbs feather the bare skin he's uncovered under my sweater. "I think I should be offended."

My eyes widen and I sort of chuckle and hum, realizing I've been caught. "I lied."

"You lied."

"Well, yeah. I didn't really know you, and I said I just wanted to be friends. A pet is an easy out." I let my fingers apologize, moving under his jacket and sliding dangerously close to the waistband of his jeans where my nails lightly scratch against his shirt. The muscles there contract at my touch, and I'm excited by how I'm affecting him.

Apparently forgiving me and forgetting all about my non-existent pet, he presses back against me, his mouth covering mine as I quickly seek out his tongue while raising my knee to brush up against the stone hard part of him that makes my own stomach quiver. His hands move up the back of my sweater, his fingers dancing across my overheated skin and I finally get my coat free, letting it fall to the floor.

He grinds against me, so I open my legs to accommodate him further. Feeling how much he wants me in just the right place makes my head spin and all the parts of me tingle.

Because it's been so _long_ since a guy has made me feel like this. I haven't had a boyfriend in what feels like forever, and I've never hooked up with a guest or had a one-night stand.

But I know I feel this good not because it's been a while, but because it's _this_ guy.

Edward Cullen from Miami.

He's… different. He's special enough that I want this night and this memory, not giving any fucks that it's a one-time deal. I'm willing to endure the aftermath if it means I get to live out the fantasy of him for a few, short hours.

Feeling his hands at the clasp of my bra, I egg him on by arching my back to give him easier access while trying to unzip his jacket for him. The puffy down is too much material between us, so after a struggle because I'm dazed with the feel of him pulling my bra away from my skin under my sweater, I finally get the zipper down and shove the jacket off his shoulders. It doesn't go far though, because he's unwilling to let me go, his arms embracing me as his mouth continues to feed on my neck.

"Jacket. Off."

He stops and pulls away, his lips red and slightly puffy, but he doesn't move his hands from me. "I don't think I can let you go just yet, my hands are just about to have the best Christmas ever." As he says this, his thumbs circle the flesh under my breasts, the material of my bra and sweater rubbing against my nipples and making them hard.

"What are you waiting for? Open your present." I challenge, my leg hitching over the back of his and pulling him so his cock hits me just right.

He's looking at me seriously. "Bella, I-"

"Shhh, don't. Just touch me, Edward." I don't let him finish, not wanting to hear any promises or doubts. Encouraging him, I press back against the wall and raise my hands above my head. "I really want you to touch me."

There's a sound in his throat as his hands move from under my sweater to grip the bottom, and he slowly lifts it, his fingers brushing my stomach as he goes. His eyes don't leave mine when his knuckles skim the sides of my breasts, giving me goosebumps. The sweater moves farther up but he's still looking at me, not taking the opportunity to ogle the naked woman in front of him.

"I just wanted to ask if you were sure."

My heart melts just a bit more at how wholly sweet and kind he is, letting any lingering hesitancy about giving myself to him disappear. "I haven't wanted anything as much as you in a very long time." He kisses me then, sweet but firm, before pulling back to lift my sweater and bra off completely. The crackle of static as it moves over my hair is the only sound in the room until he looks down at me, naked and exposed, nipples hard and skin flushed.

He sucks in a breath. "You, Bella, are perfect." His hands float up to gently cup both breasts. "But I knew you would be."

There's a pulling in my heart and stomach, because I sincerely believe he's telling me his truth. The pulling increases lower in my body, as his thumbs roll over my nipples, back and forth until he gently pulls on them in tandem. My fingers move to his hair and I hint at what I want.

He kisses me before moving down my chest, kissing his way down as I anticipate the feel of his mouth on a nipple. I'm surprised though, when instead I feel the very steady lick of his tongue followed by the slight pull of teeth. "I'm not going to lie," he says, his breath hot on me. "I've been wanting to do that since I saw you in that elf costume. It was really form-fitting."

"More of that," I moan and hold his head tighter to me. He complies, biting and licking across my chest until I think I'm going to melt in a pile of goo at his feet. "Couch."

Edward sees where I'm directing him from the tableside lamp shining dimly over the seating area and swings me so he's got me walking backward, returning to lavish my breasts with rough attention. I'm barely able to walk so he guides me like a rag doll around the furniture, finally letting me fall back onto my overstuffed couch. The soft hue from the lamp lights up his face as he looks at me devilishly, taking his time and slowly removing his jacket. His eyes roam my body and I instinctively press my legs together to satiate some of the ache.

"Don't. Keep them open." He demands, toying with the buttons of his shirt, unhurriedly undoing one at a time. My eyebrows raise, the order a direct contradiction to how respectful he's treated me all along.

But fuck me if dominating Edward isn't _insanely_ hot.

My legs part at his command and he hovers over me, his eyes surfing down to the spot pulsing with need. Once he's gotten his shirt undone, I finally see something I've been thinking about late at night, the hard planes of his stomach which don't disappoint. He smirks at me as I take in his abs, searching for the V I know lies in wait, and I feel his fingers press against my neck before slowly skimming my body, moving down, down, down until he taps the button on my pants.

"Why don't you undo that for me, hmm?"

My fingers move quickly to my waistband, unfastening the button and pulling down the zipper. "Why don't you do the same?" I nod towards his.

"I'd rather have you do it, I think." _Oh holy hell._ "But right now, I'm dying to see how perfect you are all over, Bella." His fingers move towards my pants, waiting. "May I?"

I nod, hitching up on my elbows to watch as he slowly puts his fingers in my waistband and pulls. I'm startled when he kneels next to me, his face dangerously close to my skin. His breath fans out and inflames every inch he exposes as he licks and hums against me.

"You even _taste_ like Christmas cookies," he mutters against me, his mouth hot and wet as he edges my pants to just above my naughty parts. To my dismay, he leaves them there and leans back. "There's something about an almost naked girl that's more… titillating than a fully naked girl." His fingers tease the area above my zipper and my body moves to try to get him lower. "But you, you're even titillating when you're dressed head to toe. You're stunning, Bella." He leans down and kisses me slow on the lips. "Inside and out."

If I wasn't on the edge of being stupid and falling in love with a guy I've known four days before he said that, I am now. Before I can say anything I'll regret, I lurch and throw my arms around him, kissing all the thoughts and feelings I've got right onto his beautiful lips. He holds my naked torso against his and the fit is perfect.

Pulling his shirt off the rest of the way, I repeat my mantra, no doubts, no regrets. Coaxing him back down with me on the couch, his fingers walk down my body until they're at the edge of my zipper again, but this time, he slides those fingers in and teases me, skirting around the bare skin until he's suddenly there, a single tip of his finger pressing against me as I let out a loud moan.

He moves slowly, in circles, my back arching and my fingers grabbing the hair at the back of his neck. I open my eyes to see him looking down at me, a fierceness in his own. "You're so fucking responsive," he says as I writhe with no embarrassment. "What if I…" He doesn't finish, instead inserting that one, lone circling finger directly inside me.

Moaning louder without a care in the world at how I sound, I circle my hips in time with his touch, his finger moving in and out of me slowly at first, until he increases his speed, adds a second finger and the pressure of his palm against my clit. "Oh my God, Edward. Just like that," I direct him, until I'm a warbling, squeaking, shuddering pile of satisfied girl parts.

Barely recovering, I feel his body as he lowers himself on top of me, and it's abundantly clear that we need to get all our clothes off _now_. I start to shimmy my pants down and feel a hand on mine, stopping me. He sits up so he's straddling me, and very slowly, pulls my pants further down until they hit the top of my boots, inching backward as he goes.

"I love that you're completely bare. So fucking sexy." He's not hiding the fact that he's leering at my lady bits and the attention makes me feel even more flushed. "I bet you taste like Christmas cookies there, too." He leans down quickly and swipes his tongue over me, as far as my partially constrained legs will allow. He slides back up my body, braced on two arms on either side of my head. "Yup. You do."

My arms grab his back and pull me to him, my mouth pressing against his roughly, not concerned about where he's just been. He groans loudly against me and brings his hands to my hair, tangling his fingers to guide my head and control the kiss. My fingers fumble at his jeans and he lets me struggle with the button fly, never letting up his attack on my mouth.

Finally reaching the last button, my knuckles brush against hair and I suck in a sharp breath at the realization he's not wearing underwear. Taking no time at all, I reach in and grab him, my foggy brain registering his ample size and hardness. "Merry fucking Christmas to me."

He stops suddenly, a very un-romantic laugh escaping his mouth that's still touching mine. "What did you just say?"

"I said, 'Merry fucking Christmas to me'. You have a very nice, um, package there."

Smiling, he doesn't say anything else, just resumes kissing me while moving his hips against my hand, enticing me to grasp him fully with one while my other tries to pull his pants down. He finally helps, sliding his jeans down his thighs. "We're both stuck now."

"I guess we need to stand up."

Instead of letting me up, he inches back again and prods me to move my legs out through his. It's an awkward task, but finally he's got his fingers on the zipper of one boot and pulls it off my foot. He does the same with the other, before pulling both my pants legs and ridding me of them. My undies are stuck unfortunately at my knees, rendering me unable to wrap my legs around him. I go to move them, but he's quicker, grabbing one side of the lace with his teeth as my eyes go wide at the sight of him dragging them down my legs while his gaze stays on my face. I can only imagine I look exactly how I feel, mesmerized, stunned and completely turned on.

Dropping them to the side, he grabs my ankles and kisses the top of each foot, before slowly pulling them open so I'm splayed out underneath him. I brace one foot on each of his bare thighs, and watch as he touches himself. "You'd better take yours off, too, or I'll just let you do that all night while I observe." I lick my lips to let him know I'm enjoying that idea, and he gets up quickly, toeing his shoes off and pulling his pants down in one fell swoop.

Instead of lowering himself back down on me, he picks my legs up and sits bare-assed on my couch, pulling on my waist so that he's got me sitting astride him, our parts not quite touching. He's thick and bobbing between us, and my hand latches on, pumping him a few times while he watches.

"Fuck, Bella, don't think bad of me, but I have a condom in the back pocket of my jeans. Emmett, um, gave it to me. I swear I didn't expect anything."

Leaning back while still holding on to him, I fish around on the floor for his pants. "I did," I say, not completely the truth but something I know I probably had in my mind, deep down, since he asked me out.

Condom secured in hand, I tease him by tearing the corner off with my teeth. It has the desired results, his hips jut up and his grip tightens on my waist. I roll it down his length, my fingers toying with his balls when I reach the end. I brace my hands on his shoulders and lift myself up, but go in for a kiss instead of settling down. I can feel his hardness on the inside of my thigh, rubbing against me as I gyrate slightly, his hands moving to palm my ass and lift me further up. His mouth finds my breasts again and he licks and nips, my arms circling his head and holding on.

"Are you ready?" He tilts his head up and asks against my collarbone, taking the opportunity to suck the skin there and I hope he's left his mark on me.

I answer by snaking my hand down between us and guiding him to my entrance. I lower myself slowly, easy, just feeling the tip of him and it's all I can do to not sit myself on him completely. Hovering there, with him barely in me, I try to control my breathing and not come again too quickly.

Ready to slide down his length, I suddenly know I have to have my mouth on his when he enters me fully, because I won't be able to handle the way I think he'd be looking at me if we were to lock eyes.

Like I'd want him to look at me like that for a long, long time. Long past the next three days.

My mouth falls on his when my body does, and he slips inside, both of us making sounds at the intoxicating, flawless sensation. He fills me to the hilt, pressing down on my shoulders and moving his hips so we're scooting down the couch, me laying on him more than sitting. My body moves over his, slow and languid, still kissing him but I'm soon unable to keep my mouth on his as he begins to pump into me from underneath. I cradle my head in his neck, biting lightly and licking him between guttural moans.

His hands are guiding me, his cock is filling me, and I keep my eyes squeezed shut as I rock against him. I feel a hand trailing up my back and into my hair, coming to rest on my neck as his other arm moves around my waist and when I realize that he's actually _hugging_ me as we fuck, I come a second time.

He continues moving us as I shudder around him, holding on for dear life as I feel his breathing escalate and his voice coming out strained. "I don't want this to end. Fuck, Bella. Can you come again?"

"Oh, God," I squeak when I feel his hand slip between us to play with my clit, rubbing and pressing against me repeatedly.

"Look at me, Bella." My head is still nestled in his neck out of fear, but I pull back at his request and look at the man I know I'm completely and utterly in love with. "There's my girl. You ready?" He grabs my hips and lifts us, falling to the floor so he's on top. He begins to thrust forcefully, my back sliding against the soft pile of my carpet as he pounds into me over and over.

My legs circle his waist tightly to take him all in, my moans matching his as he brings me one more time to a violent, quivering orgasm. He's right there with me, thrusting a few more times as he rears his head back and groans loudly, shuddering inside me.

I'm spent, sweaty and exhausted, my arms flayed out on either side of me, and Edward lowers his head and rests his damp hair on my chest.

I want to run my fingers through that hair, kiss his head, and ask him to stay here in Colorado.

But I don't.

He kisses the hollow of my throat sweetly, his arms embracing me and holding me on the floor as his body wraps itself around me. Reaching up above us, he grabs a blanket and lays it over us before moving my hair from my sweaty face and kissing me softly on the lips.

He looks down at me, the most beautiful face I've ever seen on the most beautiful man I've ever met.

And I know once I'm done having the greatest night of my life, I won't allow myself to see him again.

* * *

 _ **CarrieZM and Layathomemom deserve one night with an Edward that doesn't sport underwear.**_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

* * *

 _ **December 30**_

 _You've ruined me for sleeping alone for the rest of my life._

I smile at the text, hitting send on my phone before letting it rest on my thigh under the tablecloth in the dining room. I realize it's a bit strong, but there's no way I _can't_ tell her exactly what the night we spent together meant to me.

To say that it was one of the best nights of my life is an understatement. Sure, the sex was great, so were rounds two and three. But the time spent in other ways after - lying with her under the blankets whispering and laughing, looking at the pictures of her life hanging on the walls, and making out while raiding the fridge were just as good.

But the best moment by far was waking up with her yesterday in my arms, snuggled against me as I watched the snow fall out her window. It was just as magical as this entire trip has been, and I felt a peace with her I haven't felt within myself in a long time.

My family is unusually quiet as we eat a late breakfast, and I'm enjoying not giving them the satisfaction of telling them anything. I smirk as I drink my coffee, knowing I avoided them yesterday and they've been waiting for me to divulge how the night went. My father even seems to be semi-aware and has chosen a sweater that possibly fits the situation - a Santa in a Hawaiian shirt asking 'Did you get lei'd for Xmas?'

After a few minutes, I check my phone again to see if she's replied. Seeing nothing, I don't worry too much about it, I know these next two days are an especially busy few for the employees getting ready for the big New Year's bash in the ballroom tomorrow night.

"I can't believe it's almost over. It's been such a great trip," my mother laments, hand on her chin looking slightly forlorn. "I'm going to miss my grandchildren."

"You're picking them up for the night on Friday." Rose points out, feeding a twin pieces of muffin that are really just crumbling in a pile on her lap.

Mom waves a dismissive hand. "Oh, I know, it's not the same though. Then it's all 'eat your dinner', 'clean up your toys', and 'stop biting your sister.' I've enjoyed being just a doting Grandma, letting them get away with murder. It's easier here because they're tired from the crisp, fresh air."

"Put some Benadryl in their Cheerios. That's what I do," my father says, and I'm not sure if he's joking or not.

"You could move out here, Mom. Be closer to us for once." Alice sticks her tongue out at Emmett who's immediately protesting about losing the free help.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you guys about something." I clear my throat and sit up straighter. Before I can say anything, out of the corner of my eye, I see Bella with a full tray walking towards the kitchen. I didn't know she was working the dining room today, and I wonder why she didn't stop by to say hello. Then remembering exactly how embarrassing my family can be, I immediately don't blame her. It wouldn't surprise me if one or all of them pounced to ask her how our date was.

Hell, that's why I decided to spend yesterday with a book, in between fantasizing about Bella while in my Jacuzzi tub.

Focusing my attention back to the table, all eyes are glued on me, and I think better of sharing my news of moving with them before I can tell Bella. It's a tricky thing. She has no idea I've been thinking of this before last night, and I don't want her to think I'm proposing marriage, but moving here does involve her a bit, as I hope that she wants to continue seeing me as much as I do her. I don't think she'd appreciate hearing it from my lunkhead of a brother or meddling mother before I've had the chance to tell her myself.

Emmett knocks me in the arm. "Spit it out. You knocked her up, is that it?"

My father guffaws loudly while I just look at my imbecile sibling. "Right, 'cause the way biology works, I would know that thirty-six hours later."

"Aha! So you did sleep with her! Why didn't you just come out and tell us first thing?"

"Because it's none of your business, that's why."

"If you remember correctly, it was _exactly_ my idea on the plane ride over here. I should get some credit for that."

"You want credit? I'll let _her_ kick you in the balls, how's that?"

"Oh, Edward! How wonderful! I'm so glad you've put yourself out there again," Mom says, beaming. "And she's such a nice girl."

Alice chimes in. "I helped him pick the restaurant! I get credit!"

"Everyone relax. We just met." Oh, how I regret even coming down for this meal.

"Here's to my lonely son finally getting some!" My father raises his bloody mary and I immediately put my head on the table. Thank God Bella hasn't come out from the kitchen yet that I've noticed.

My phone buzzes in my pocket and my first thought is that she did hear it and is too mortified to be seen but feels the need to give me an earful. Pulling it out, I see I've gotten an email from Ben. Nervously, I open it and quickly skim.

 _Edward,_

 _So sorry for the delay in getting back to you, we've been inordinately swamped, I'm sure you know how that goes._

 _That being said, busy is good, and good for you because we are looking to fill a senior pathologist position within the next three months. It was something that had gone through my mind when you were here, so I was very happy to see your email stating you were looking to make a move._

 _Once the holiday is over and you've returned to Miami, give me a call so we can discuss setting up a phone interview with the director._

 _Happy New Year's,_

 _Ben_

A rush of excitement flows through me as I read the words, and I smile at fate showing its lovely face yet again.

* * *

I don't get a chance to corner Bella after breakfast, and I don't think she mentioned at all the detail of her schedule for the day, so I go in search of her at the pool bar, the snowmobile area and the van parking lot, but there's no sign of her. I know it's required that every employee work the last two days leading up to the party, so she's probably crazy busy. But I really don't want to hold off seeing her and try to talk to her about something so important on the last and busiest night of her holiday season.

Besides, I don't think I can wait _another_ day to touch her again.

After my search for Bella turns up nothing, I join my family in the lobby playing board games with the kids. When I finally see her again, she's ducking between tables and looking swamped. I play the game but keep an eye on her, trying to find a moment to smile or say hello, but I always seem to look up when she's got her back turned or when she's walking away. There's an odd feeling in my stomach, but I push it down knowing it's only there because we haven't gone this long without some contact since we went snowmobiling. I choose instead to focus on my nieces and nephews, who I won't see for a while once we've all headed back to our lives.

"Hey, Alice. Can I talk to you a minute?" I nod towards the self-serve eggnog station in the lobby and tell the group we're getting a refill. Alice follows and we both stand near the table, her hand on her hip waiting for whatever it is I'm about to say.

"I don't want you to make a big deal, but I've been thinking a lot lately about Miami."

"What about it?"

"I've been thinking of moving. There's nothing there for me anymore, and I've been talking to Ben from the lab-"

"You're moving here? To Colorado?"

"It's something I've been considering for a while. I was leaning towards Atlanta to be near Mom and Dad initially but…"

"Bella's here."

"Not just that. The lab is a really great lab."

"And it's in the same state as Bella."

"Coincidentally, yes."

"If you're looking for some sort of permission from me, you have it. Oscar has taken a shine to you."

"I just wanted to make sure I wouldn't be cramping your style. You have a lot on your plate with Oscar and the wedding, you don't need to worry about a brother that doesn't know anyone moving to town and possibly sleeping on your couch until he finds a place."

Alice moves in to hug me. "I can't think of anything better than having my big brother around. It's been a long time since we've had this much quality time."

"Thanks, Alice. Don't say anything just yet, okay?"

"I won't but let's be honest, Mom's probably over there lip-reading and looking at the classifieds as we speak." I roll my eyes 'cause she's probably right. "What does Bella think?"

Looking for the girl in question, I see her about to slip through the doors off the lobby, empty glasses on her full tray. "I haven't actually had a chance to run it by her." Alice's eyes widen and her lips curve in the shape of an 'O'.

Knowing I've screwed up the timeline, I start trying to explain. "When moving first started becoming a thought, she wasn't really in the mix. And then, well I didn't want her to think I was saying it to get laid. And then when it was apparent I _was_ going to get laid, I didn't want to make it seem like I was moving because of that. And I haven't had a chance to talk to her besides a quick hello since I left her yesterday morning. But that's not what made me favor Colorado initially. Although it's a great perk. But I'd be stupid to move across the country for some girl I just met. Even if we do get along really well. But it doesn't mean anything will come of it and I still would want to be here if it doesn't. But something tells me that it's kind of meant to be. I mean, I know that's silly and I've been burned before-"

Alice holds her hands up to stop my rambling. "You don't need to sell it to me, I'm the romantic of the family, remember?"

I sigh. "I just have a feeling, Alice. A good one."

"And you're sure you never mentioned you were thinking about it in conversation at some point?"

"No, and I know I should've. I don't want her to think I'm some weird stalker now, ready to move in and get a bird together and share toothbrushes or something."

"Huh."

"What?"

"Well, I find it interesting she let herself get involved with someone that to her knowledge was leaving for good when vacation was over. Doesn't seem the type."

"She's not."

"Well then, I'd say there's a good chance she'll be real happy to hear your news."

* * *

Since my flight is early on the 1st, and Emmett and I are hitting the slopes again tomorrow before the party, I begin to slowly pack, an empty feeling in my stomach at the wonderful vacation I've had coming to an end, and of course, having to leave Bella.

Who still hasn't answered my text.

I try not to let the anxiety gnaw at my insides, but I really don't want to tell her I might be moving and get her reaction in a room full of strangers while she's balancing a tray full of champagne and trying to avoid my father, who will inevitably be wearing something atrocious and making offensive jokes.

If I'm being truthful though, what's bothering me the most is the distinct possibility I've read the situation completely wrong. Maybe I was just the right guy at the right time. Maybe she decided she doesn't like the way I talk in my sleep or wear socks to bed.

Maybe she's not as into me as I am her.

I run the past week with Bella through my mind. I thought things were progressing nicely, I thought it was obvious things were headed somewhere. Is it possible I read what was happening incorrectly? I'm a smart guy, so my gut says no, but this wouldn't be the first time I thought everything was okay with someone when it clearly wasn't.

The memory that I've been hurt before irks me, and I go back to relying on my feelings and what they've told me for the past week. That Bella is someone special and meant to be in my life.

As a distraction, I suggest taking the kids out for one final snowball fight, something Rose and Alice are thankful for so they can also pack and have the added benefit of exhausted children. It's Emmett, Jasper, and I against Gracie, Alexander, Oscar, and Matthew, and I'm sorry to say they're beating the bejesus out of us. There's snow in my shoes, my collar, and down the front of my pants.

The kids are yelling and falling, high-fiving each other with each direct hit they get at us. "Hey, no fair, I'm bigger than all of you, I have more body surface!" Emmett yells, hurling a snowball that falls apart mid-air.

"I think they're icing them with a bucket of water or something!" Jasper ducks just in time as a snowball smashes into a tree behind him.

"No! You just suck!" Oscar laughs and sticks his tongue out at Jasper, before getting another pre-made snowball from Matt.

"I gotta shake the snow out of my jacket, hold on!" I yell and raise my hands in surrender, backing up towards the lobby awning.

"Uncle Edward's a wuss!" Gracie shouts, and I stare at her, open-mouthed.

"Traitor!"

She just grins and lobs another snowball at her dad. Shaking my jacket out and stomping my feet on the pavers under the heated roof by the driveway, I see Bella through the glass windows, leaning against the front desk and looking at something with a fellow employee. Smiling, I pull my phone out and send another text.

 _I know you're incredibly busy for the next two days, but I'd like five minutes of your time to discuss something with you. And it's possible I can't wait until tomorrow night to kiss you again._

She's laughing at something the other woman says as she pulls her phone from her pocket. But immediately her smile falls as she looks down at it, and I'm confused when she shakes her head at the other woman and puts her phone face down on the desk. I suppose she can't answer me when she's working, but would she even look at it if she were doing something important?

I watch for a few more minutes, an icy feeling crawling up my back and not from the snow lodged there. When Bella turns to leave the desk, she grabs her phone and walks towards the entrance, but doesn't come out. She paces back and forth, rubbing her forehead and looking at her phone, before walking away and shoving it back in her pocket.

My silent phone feels suddenly very heavy in my hand.

* * *

 _ **I'd gladly let CarrieZM and Layathomemom kick my ass in a snowball fight.**_


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

* * *

 _ **December 31, New Year's Eve**_

The grand chandeliers in the ballroom loom overhead, their dangling crystals alive and reflecting tiny drops of multi-colored light over the walls and floor. The sixteen piece band is loud and on point, playing hits and oldies alike, something to make everyone in the room get up and dance whether you like to or not.

The kids are out there too, shoeless, hanging onto their parents while dancing and sliding across the shiny, waxed floor in their party clothes. Jasper and Alice hold Oscar between them, doing a weird sort of ring around the rosy, while Emmett and Rose hold each other close and try to ignore the pulling on their clothes from their over-sugared spawn.

There's a celebratory mood across the whole party, guests and employees alike feeling festive with anticipation as the night charges towards the reason we're all here. In two short hours, the countdown to another year begins, giving us the chance at something new or another opportunity to succeed at something we failed at last year.

The room is full of it, that energy, that excitement. That push to the finish line where we'll toot horns and yell, kissing loved ones as the band plays Auld Lang Syne, while we sway and sing along in our tipsy state. We'll tell the people we're with we love them and the people we just met that we'll be friends forever.

Everyone's feeling it.

Everyone but me.

I know I'm wasting my last night to be with my family by sitting at the table by myself, nursing a drink and watching Bella as she zips through the tables, always rushing with a tray full of champagne or empties looking for a refill at the bar.

I watch her talk to everyone, smiling and chatting, laughing and handing out liquor in her black outfit with the gold bowtie. She moves around the tables efficiently, but gives everyone a moment of her time - the old couple celebrating a New Year's anniversary, the group of women all recently divorced and on a girls' weekend, the kids running around probably getting in her way, and the few that have had too much already and are hard to talk to. She's friendly and enjoying all of them.

All of them but me.

Two mornings ago when I kissed her goodbye at her door, told her I'd talk to her later while she hummed and held me close, well, that was the last time I've had the pleasure of Bella's attention.

We didn't make concrete plans to see each other before the party, knowing she was going to be working both days including pulling a double last night, but how could she not think I'd want to spend a few stolen moments with her? How could _she_ not want to spare five minutes to come say hello, or stop by to complain about someone pinching her ass or even just look my way with that sweet smile and wink from her beautiful face?

But more importantly, how could she not answer my texts at all? Three, at last count. Plus one phone call.

My time here is running out, there's only hours left, and my stomach twists at the thought as I push away the plate of appetizers my mother set down in front of me. My family's been side-eyeing me all night, filled in I'm sure by Emmett who I confided in while on the slopes today. He seemed as confused by Bella's silence as I am, but did what brother's should do, he tried to reassure me that it's just work-related.

Thinking about it, I try to reason with myself. Maybe that's all it is. I was with my family yesterday, skiing with Emmett today, she knew that was my plan, and didn't want to interrupt any time I had left with my brother or family. She would be perceptive and caring that way, I'm sure of it. She must know that something has to be said, has to know that some sort of vague plan has to be made, but just hasn't had the time.

Feeling slightly better and determined, I walk around the perimeter of the room, taking a few pictures of my family on the dance floor and hoping to get near Bella. I catch glimpses of her through the crowd, but every time I get closer she glides away and is suddenly elsewhere. It's like chasing down the appetizer lady carrying the one tray of pigs in a blanket at a wedding.

Spotting her at the bar getting a new tray ready, I walk directly across the dance floor between the moving couples and get right next to her as she's about to lift her now full tray. "Hello, beautiful."

She turns towards me, a blank expression on her face. "Happy New Years, Edward. Champagne?"

"Yeah, sure." I take one from her, suddenly feeling very awkward. "Having fun?" I ask, stupidly.

"It's always a fun party. Are you?" She asks in return, smiling at a lady that fetches a glass from her tray.

"Sure. It's very festive." She's looking around the crowd, and I know I'm keeping her. "Listen, I've been wanting to talk to you since Thursday. Do you think you could find five minutes-"

"I can't, you know, people waiting. But have a good time tonight." To my complete and utter shock, she turns her back to me and starts serving partiers around her.

This is not the girl I know, the one I've come to have real feelings for, the one who was warm as cookies out of the oven to me forty-eight hours ago. I want to give her the benefit of the doubt, I want to believe that she's just really swamped with work and demanding guests, but rude is rude. "Excuse me, but did I do something to upset you?"

She hands off her last glass and her tray gets pressed against her chest so she's cradling it. "No, everything's fine."

"It doesn't seem that way. I'm sorry we haven't had a moment alone. I know I've been spending time with my family, and you were working-"

She cuts me off, distractedly looking around the room. "What do you want, Edward?"

I stare at her, eyes wide, starting to get pissed. "What do I want? I've been texting you for two days, expecting you'd want to answer. And I've been trying to get your attention all night. I thought-"

"We had fun, but you're leaving, and I knew I'd be busy working, so what's the point?" She interrupts, picking up a few champagne-filled glasses and placing them on her platter while I'm flapping my lips like a fish out of water.

"What's the _point_?" I ask, hardly believing the way this conversation is careening out of control.

"What time's your flight tomorrow?" she asks, turning directly towards me with a hand on her hip.

"Eight-thirty, but-"

"Then it's been really great knowing you, and have a safe trip home." With that and a smile, she turns on her heel and walks away from me.

"Bella!" I yell towards her back, but she doesn't turn, just leaves me standing there like I just got slapped across the face as she goes through the double doors that lead to the hallway.

I'm left staring at her, at where she just was and I look around me to see if I've fallen in some alternate universe. I've had a couple of one-night stands in my time, regardless of what Emmett thinks. I did go to college and all that, so I know what a one-night stand looks like.

It _doesn't_ look like two people giggling and making bad jokes while touching each other under the warmth of blankets. It doesn't look like Bella with big, watery eyes looking at me while I listen to stories about her parents as we sit next to her small Christmas tree. And a one-night stand sure as shit doesn't look like the girl that couldn't separate herself from me for even a moment so she clung to my back, kissing my neck the whole time I made her hot chocolate.

And if it is, if I'm utterly mistaken and that's all it was, then I'm truly the stupidest person on Earth.

I contemplate going to find her, to try and make sense of what just happened, but I've been a pussified fool before in matters of the heart, and I refuse to be one again by chasing after a girl that clearly doesn't want me.

Storming back to the table, I grab another champagne off a passing tray and sit back in my chair. Downing it in one gulp, I beat myself up, asking how I could've seen it so wrong, how did I let my stupid heart fall again just to be hurt by someone who turns out to be the exact opposite of what I thought they were?

How could I have been so fucking blindsided? Twice?

Agitated, I call a waitress over and take another glass of bubbly, ordering a scotch from her before I even drink the champagne I have.

My father ambles over, and I close my eyes, not in the fucking mood for company, especially whatever nonsense he's got in his head this fine evening. "What are you doing over here all alone? I figured you and Bella would be all over each other."

I raise my glass to him, my sour mood making me snarl. "I just spoke to her. Apparently, I was just someone to have fun with. I've been officially used."

He frowns. "That doesn't seem right."

"Trust me, I know a blow off when I see one."

"Maybe you misheard her, it is loud in here, go figure it out."

"She made herself clear. There's no way in hell I'm going to chase after her across the fucking ballroom. Unlike six months ago, I'm not going to be a chump for a second time." Bitter, I down my champagne.

"You might want to slow down, Son," he says, eyeing my drink as he sits and leans back in the chair.

"You might want to consider a new wardrobe stylist." I nod towards his sweater. "You've outdone yourself."

Looking down and pulling at the fabric, he smiles, either not getting or disregarding my sarcasm. "You know why I've been wearing these all week?"

"To embarrass Mom and the rest of us?"

"Did I ever tell you about a New Year's Eve party I went to when I was nineteen?"

"No, but I'll bet it's a rambling story full of nothing that has anything to do with whatever's going on at this table right now." Even as it leaves my mouth, I know I'm being a dick.

He looks at me, eyes narrowed as his lips purse. "I was an ugly kid. Truly heinous. Nerdier than any nerd you've ever seen." He grins and looks around the room before continuing. "I was pledging Alpha Epsilon Pi with absolutely no hopes of ever getting in, but my roommate was so I figured I should too unless I wanted to be the one guy on my floor that gut stuck in the dorms, doomed to a life of no parties and no dates. Things were different then, nerds weren't as 'in' as they are now. You're lucky."

"Gee, thanks."

"I mean that in a good way. Anyway," he says, waving his hand. "So I go to a rush party, an ugly sweater party, and proceed to get absolutely shit-faced drunk."

"So, the moral of this story is that nothing has changed?"

He ignores me. "I'm in the bathroom, on my knees, heaving up about a gallon of Wild Turkey and Hawaiian Punch, when the door opens and there's this girl there, looking at me like she's about to vomit just looking at me."

Realization begins to dawn, the story somewhat familiar but not so exact in detail. "Mom?"

"Yup, your mother. Well, I took one look at her and was smitten. I'd never seen anyone more beautiful. No girl had ever appealed to me instantly the way she did. But of course, I'm on the floor puking up my insides so it wasn't really a great opportunity to declare my love."

"I would think not."

"Your mother, there was something about her. Even as loaded as I was, I knew, and decided that as soon as I sobered up, I was going to pursue her, but right then, I was trying my best to just get her to leave the bathroom so I could be sick in peace. Well, imagine my horror when moments later, my dream girl begins to try and help me up. I'm protesting, but there she is, putting her arm under mine and trying to lift me off the floor. I stumbled, bumped into her, got puke on her-"

"Ew."

"But you know what? She didn't seem to care about that. She helped me out of that bathroom, walked me down the stairs, across the road to her sorority, where she led me to the washers in the basement and stripped my soiled clothes off of me, leaving me in my underwear and t-shirt."

"And it was love at first tighty-whitey?"

"Oh, hell no. As soon as she realized the sweater I'd gotten violently sick on was a gift she'd given her boyfriend to wear for the holidays, she was horrified."

My eyes go wide. "You had on her boyfriend's sweater?"

"Yeah, turns out my roommate was her boyfriend's brother. He 'borrowed' the sweater for me so I could go to the party."

"How…?" I ask, leaving it there and shaking my head in confusion.

"Well, I knew I had to make it up to her, you know, 'cause she was the love of my life. So when I went home for spring break that year, I learned how to knit from my mother and made a replacement."

"Hold on. You learned how to knit from Grandma?"

"Sure, who do you think taught Alice? Anyway, so I get back to school and present the sweater to your mother, who proceeds to throw it in my face. Me being a stupid little shit, didn't give up, and knitted a new sweater, which she promptly returned. I knitted about ten sweaters that semester, until she finally agreed to go out with me."

"She probably agreed just to get rid of you."

"You'd think so, but you know what she said to me on that first date?"

"I can't even guess."

"She said she finally said yes because the last sweater I made, made her laugh. You see, I'd been knitting my guts out, perfecting my stitch with increasingly difficult patterns and designs, and was about to give up. I decided the last one I made should be as memorable as possible because I figured it was probably my last shot."

"What was it?"

"Let's just say it had nipples and leave it at that."

Laughing, I shake my head incredulous. I'd never heard this version before. I nod towards his sweater. "So why now? Why go down memory lane this particular Christmas?"

"To an extent, Alice."

"Alice?"

"She's got a new kid, a soon-to-be new husband. If I could help her on her way with her new business, why shouldn't I do all I can and order some things for her to knit? But it's really for _all_ of you. Your mother and I haven't had the entire family together for Christmas in a very long time. We have new grandkids, we have you back with us for the first time in years, I can't think of a better way to celebrate the joy of our lives than to go back to where it all came from."

I sit staring at him, speechless. Every thought I had of him this week being insensitive and out of touch with reality has been completely off the mark. He leans forward and takes a sip of the drink the waitress delivers for me. "I saw Bella crying out in the hall about fifteen minutes ago."

My eyes widen. "Bella's crying? You told me this whole story and wasted my time instead of telling me that right away?"

"I was sharing my wisdom."

My brow furrows in confusion. "That story has nothing to do with me and Bella."

"Sure it does." He takes another sip and stares at me, like it's supposed to be obvious. "You're going to let a little figurative puke on a sweater ruin any chance you have at happiness?"

"She's basically told me it was nice knowing me."

"I think a crying girl speaks volumes." My father puts his hand on my shoulder. "Like your old man, you're no quitter, and I think you need to make the girl of _your_ dreams realize you're the man of hers. Just like I did with your mother."

Finally understanding the grand finale to his tale, I stare at him, this man I assumed was oblivious to everything around him. "When did you become such a perceptive bastard?"

He puts a finger to his lips. "Shhh! Don't ruin the facade I've created. Let's just chalk it up to the fact that I'm pleasantly drunk."

"Secrets safe with me."

"Go get your girl, Son."

Standing to go find Bella, I pause before leaving and smile, nodding towards him with a new appreciation for his sweater of Baby New Year getting spanked by a dominatrix. "Thanks, Dad."

A quick scan of the ballroom results in no Bella sighting, so I hightail it out to the hallway to see if she's still there.

Crying. My dad said she was _crying_. I don't care what she said to me, how she acted or whatever shade she threw my way, I knew she wasn't being herself when she said it'd been nice to know me.

Edward Cullen should've known he's no dummy.

Pushing through the double doors, I see the plush reception area outside the ballroom dotted with various guests and employees, people looking to take a break from the music or make phone calls away from the noise. What I don't see is Bella. Scanning the outer hallways and coming up empty, I go back into the ballroom.

The band is playing a loud dance song that makes the lights pulse, making it hard to see especially with all the waving arms and gyrating bodies of people that aren't even near the dance floor. I circle around by the bar we were at earlier, and then cross over to the other bar, but neither have Bella standing nearby. Nearing the bandstand, I consider grabbing the singer's mic to call out to her but then see her back at the other bar, leaning on it and resting her cheek in her hand.

Determined not to lose sight of her again, I walk directly across the dance floor, dodging couples as the band slows, and the singer starts to croon that depressing Dan Fogelberg song about lost loves drinking beer in grocery store parking lots. Getting nearer, the dim lighting conceals my presence until I'm right next to her.

"Bella."

She straightens immediately and puts both hands on the bar. "Edward, did you want something? Another glass of champagne? Something else?"

"Yes, I want something else. I want you, Bella. I've wanted you since I saw you wearing pointy ears and a stupid pair of shoes."

She stiffens. "You had me."

Her eyes are slightly puffy, obvious even in the bad lighting, and I can easily see through her act now. How could I have doubted _us_ so thoroughly before? "You think one night was enough? You think that's the entirety of this whole thing?"

"I'm working really late tonight, so thanks but no thanks…" She moves, ready to go back to serving, but I stop her with a hand on her arm.

"Not just for tonight, Bella. I want you for a really long time, if you're willing."

She looks at me, a slight frown on her face. "You're leaving."

"I am." She stiffens again, so I continue quickly. "But I'm coming back."

"I'm not that girl, Edward. I'm not the girl that can be a hookup whenever you get to town." She breaks my grasp and walks away, not stopping at a couple that clearly would like champagne, leaving their hands up grasping at air. She charges across the floor and serves a woman sitting this song out.

I'm not letting her get away again, and march right up to her, interrupting whatever she's saying to the lady. "Bella, just hear me out. It doesn't have to be one night, that's what I'm trying to tell you!"

"Yes, Edward. It does." Her voice is dripping with acid as she talks over me.

"What? Why?"

She waves her hand. "Please, you think you're the first guest to use the 'I'm moving here' line on one of us?" She storms away, leaving her tray on the table as I follow, chasing after her again.

"Line? No, Bella, I am. It's true. You don't believe me? I've been thinking about moving here this entire week!"

She begins picking up empty glasses at another table, but with no tray, puts them down before turning to me. "Edward, you're a really great guy. A _good_ guy. And I don't blame you at all, but really, you don't have to say these things. It's okay, I should've known." She walks to the dance floor to cut across it, dodging dancing couples.

"Will you just stop walking away from me, dammit?" The tone in my voice makes her falter, but she stops. "What should you have known?"

"I thought I could do it, I thought I could sleep with you and be happy I had that for just one night, but I wasn't. I'm _not_. So just leave me alone."

My heart twinges. "Why did you sleep with me if you thought I was just like any other jerkoff? I can't believe that night didn't mean _anything_ to you!"

Sighing, she turns and I can see tears in her eyes, sparkling in the light like the glistening chandeliers above us. "It meant more to me than you could possibly understand."

"So explain to me exactly why you're shutting me out?"

She swallows and looks up at the lights, the band, the dancing around her. "My parents met here, Edward. At this resort. My mother worked here and my father was a guest." She shakes her head. "They fell in love and when he left to go home, he took her with him. It's something that I've had in my head for so long, it was such a… dreamy romantic story to me. So when they died, the only place I could think of was to come here."

"You came here looking for a guy?" I ask, confused.

"I came here because I had no one at home and thought that maybe, just maybe I would find someone here to not be so alone with. But I quickly found out from the girls here that you have to watch out for those guys that say they're staying for you, or that they're going to come back. I should've known my parents story wouldn't be mine, but I guess holding onto this place was holding onto the ideal of what they were. So I stayed anyway." She wipes at her eye with a cocktail napkin.

I rub my temples, willing my stupid brain to act already and not make this worse. "Bella, this week… this week has been everything. Why don't you believe me?"

"I gave you so many opportunities to tell me you were thinking of staying. At dinner, I laid it out for you perfectly when I said it wasn't a quick trip here. You basically said that no, it wasn't. And then you said nothing else." She turns on her heel and takes a few steps away, suddenly doubling back with ferocity in her eyes. "Oh, wait, you did say something. You said you would like to 'see' me again when you visited," she says with a sneer. "Why _should_ I believe you?"

I close my eyes and place my hand over my face, thinking back to the conversation and realizing I did say exactly that. "I wasn't ready to tell you something that I wasn't sure about myself yet. If I'd said that to you and then nothing came of it, I _would_ be that shitty guy you'd been warned about." I point up, motioning to the song. "I don't want to be these two, running into each other years later and reminiscing about what could've been."

"What could this _possibly_ be?" she wails, waving a hand between us.

"I thought maybe you had the feeling there's something between us like I did. More than just a fucking fling! Bella, I've got-"

Right then, the resort manager taps the microphone and asks for everyone's attention. The band behind him starts a drumroll, and I see everyone surrounding us on the dance floor scattering to find their loved ones. _"Ladies and gentlemen! The time has come!"_

"Goddamn it!" I yell over the announcement, irked at the interruption. "Bella, I've got an interview on the horizon at the lab I visited, I've been waiting to tell you for three days!"

She looks at me, a stunned expression on her face until it falls and she looks away. "That's nice, but I have to go, Edward. I'm working, I have to serve champagne and-"

"Bella," I say and grab her so she can't walk away again.

Because she doesn't get to end it this way.

I press my lips right up to her ear, so she can hear me over the yelling. Her Christmas scent overwhelms me, intoxicates me, and I've never been more sure that I've already given her my heart. "You know there's something really good between us. I know you can feel it. You know there's more to this."

" _Let's all raise our glasses and begin the countdown to a brand new year!"_

Her head bows, and I feel her body shake. My hand moves up her arm, until I'm cupping her neck. I let my lips brush against her hair, smelling the sweetness there. Swallowing, I know it's time to go for it. "I think I'm in love with you, Bella." Her body stiffens, but she turns to me, her lips pressed together and silent, giving me nothing.

" _Ten!"_

We're getting jostled by the crowd around us, everyone helping to countdown at the top of their lungs, but I only have eyes for this girl in front of me, this girl that's turned my world upside-down. "I know it's quick, and I know we just met, but when you know, you know. And I know, Bella."

" _Nine!"_

I see more than hear a sob escape her mouth, and her hand moves to cover it. I move from her neck and my fingers gently touch her wet cheek, brushing away the hair that's captured there. "You've wanted a fairy tale since your parents left you, and I know you're afraid that you'll never get it. You're putting up a wall, trying to save a heart that's been broken since they left you."

" _Eight!_ "

My other hand rises to rest against her cheek, and her head tilts slightly, her eyes closing shut. "But I'm not afraid, Bella. I'm not afraid to move here and take a chance." The crowd is increasing in volume, liquor is being spilled down my shirt from the excitement around us, but I barely notice.

" _Seven!"_

"I'm a practical guy, Bella. A true scientist at heart." I laugh suddenly, and she opens her watery eyes, searching mine. "I don't have a job secured or a place to live. It's scary as fuck that I have no plan at all, but I don't care. This is one of the smartest decisions I've ever made." My thumbs brush away the tears that are falling to her chin. "I want to be here, I want to move here. I want all of it with _you_."

" _Six!"_

The manager at the mic increases his excitement as we get nearer to midnight, the crowd surrounding Bella and I shouting in our ears. Taking a deep breath, my adrenaline is soaring as the lights overhead start to twinkle and somewhere, an overenthusiastic party guest toots his horn too soon. "I take it back, Bella. I don't think I love you." Her eyes fly between mine, searching, as someone rocks into her from behind and she gets bumped right up against me.

" _Five!"_

"I _know_ I love you."

It feels like forever as she stands there staring at me, and my heart is thumping as fast as the drums are pounding their countdown. The drunk behind us yells as loudly as possible into my left eardrum, and I'm about to beg her to say something when she throws herself at me, flinging her arms around my neck. The crowd gets rowdier and squeezes impossibly closer together on the dance floor, but somehow, she manages to jump up, wrapping her legs around my waist and plants her beautiful mouth on mine.

" _Four!"_

Pulling back to look at me, the sweet smile I've come to see in my dreams slides across her face, the white lights from the chandelier moving across her eyes and making them shine.

"I know I love you, too, Edward Cullen from Miami."

* * *

 _ **One Year Later**_

" _Three!"_

"This is it buddy, you nervous?" Emmett whispers directly in my ear even though it's so loud in here no one would hear him if he were to yell. I look around the ballroom, same in its decorations and music, but completely and wholly changed in my eyes. Smiling, I just shake my head at him and yell with the crowd.

" _Two!"_

Everyone raises their glasses, getting ready and watching the manager of the resort wielding the mic. "Still time to back out," he says, and I quickly elbow him in the gut, causing him to spill a bit of his champagne which he hits me on the arm for. "Don't say I didn't warn ya!"

" _One!"_

Ignoring my brother, I turn to look at the girl standing next to me in a silver bow tie this year, taking a break from working the festivities so she can celebrate midnight with me. She's screaming along with the crowd, arms high up in the air ready for the big finale, ringing in a brand new year. It's a finale I've been waiting for myself, but for completely different reasons.

Because I got my new beginning _last_ year.

" _Happy New Year!"_

The horns start their wailing and everyone cheers as silver and gold balloons fall from the ceiling amidst shiny, fluttering scraps of tissue confetti. Bella and I turn to each other at the same time, and I raise both hands to her face and kiss her solidly on the mouth while the balloons bump us in the head and confetti falls onto our cheeks.

Reluctantly pulling my mouth from hers, she smiles sweetly as I move to hold both her hands, swinging them between us. I'm semi-aware my family is there with us, hugging and kissing and cheering along with everyone else.

But I don't turn to them to wish them a Happy New Year, instead, I drop to one knee.

"Bella Swan," I yell over the band playing Auld Lang Syne, off-key singing from the revelers and some crying from the drunks, I mean my family, as I pull the box I've had a grip on all night from my pants pocket. "Your folks met here, where we did, and from what you've told me and from what I've seen in pictures, they loved each other as much as two people could."

Bella's free hand flies to her mouth, her hand quivering in mine as I flip the lid open with my thumb. "I want you to have the fairy tale. I want this to be the happy ending for both of us that your parents, and mine, had - finding that one person that makes you feel complete. Marry me, make the next sixty years of our lives as happy as this last one has been."

Her hands are shaking and her knees are wobbling, her whole body jumping up and down as she holds her hand out. "Yes! Yes!" It's hard to put the ring on with all her movement, but I manage and once I stand, she leaps into my arms much as she did exactly one year ago in this same spot.

There's loud, obnoxious cheering right near us, and we break apart to see my mom and dad with their arms out, waiting to hug their soon-to-be daughter-in-law. "Oh, Bella. Edward's a lucky man. Welcome to the family!" My mother embraces Bella warmly, until my father pulls her away.

"I'm so happy you have a thing for nerds." He hugs her while she laughs, and gives me a thumbs up behind her back.

"Your sweater seems so much more fitting, now," Bella says rubbing her hand across the green sweater with one solitary gold ring on it, with the words, 'Who needs five golden rings when you have one good cock ring?' horrifically stitched across it.

Alice and Jasper are next, and I swear I hear the girls already starting to plan as they squeal and Alice grabs Bella's hand to look at the ring she helped shop for.

"Congratulations, you two!" Rosalie hugs us both as best she can with her protruding belly and a two year old asleep on her shoulder. "But it is now officially way past bedtime for this pregnant lady. Emmett, take your children and do whatever you want with them. And don't wake me up when you come to bed." She hands off Jackie to him and he begins the ritual of looking for Alex.

We accept congratulations from Rose's parents who decided to join us this year, and they move off to help Emmett round up his brood. Shaking my head, I can't help but laugh thinking about when Emmett called with the news, boasting about how virile he was. Looking down at Bella under my arm and pressed to my side, I smile, and picture us a year or so from now, hopefully with a baby of our own on the way.

The music starts up again and the crowd goes back to dancing and drinking. "I better get back to work." Bella stands on her tiptoes and kisses me. "I'll see you in three hours."

I hold her around the waist, pulling her close. "Do we have to stay in the hotel tonight? Can't we go back to our house? I don't think I'm going to want you to get dressed until at least noon."

"We have brunch tomorrow, it'll be the first time we've seen Jasper's dad since the wedding, and Oscar will be leaving to go camping with him for a week. We should say goodbye to everyone."

"They won't miss us." I nuzzle her neck. "Besides, you're going to be exhausted."

"Not too exhausted to be waited on instead of being the waiter."

"Fine." I reluctantly let go of her, pressing a kiss against her lips. "I'll wait for you."

She smiles. "If you want."

"I want."

She walks away, our hands holding each other until the last possible second. Right as our fingertips are about to slide away, she grabs me and hugs me around the waist, nestling her face against my chest. "Thank you, Edward."

"For what?"

"For giving me the one thing I've wanted for a very long time."

"A sweater with a poop emoji wearing a Christmas hat?"

"That was your dad."

"That's how you know you're accepted." I smile.

"Well that's good, but no." She looks up at me, her eyes sparkling under the lights. "For giving me a family."

"It can't compete with what you gave me." I lean down and kiss her again, holding the hand with the ring on it and pulling it between us.

"You gave me you. Happy fucking New Year to me."

 **The End**

* * *

 **Well, that's it! I really hope you enjoyed this little Christmas story, it was so much fun to write and I had a great time posting every day. That being said, as many of you know, I love answering reviews. This posting schedule and the holidays didn't allow me to do that, and for that I apologize, but I will make sure to answer each one for this last chapter. Just know I've read them all, and loved them. You made me LOL for real, and you touched me deeply with your sweet compliments.**

 **Thank you to Lolypop82, for giving me such a sweet Edward in the banner. It was exactly what I didn't know I wanted. So again, you read my convoluted mind and delivered!**

 **Layathomemom is an amazing pre-reader and friend. She has her own little baseball team of children and managed to fix this thing for me while having to get ready for the holidays, and for that I am thankful. Her insight is truly invaluable to me and I couldn't imagine ever posting anything without her seeing it first.**

 **And much love goes to my CarrieZM, who constantly gives me ideas. Last year, she said she wanted a Christmas story, so I started to write one and just couldn't make it happen in time. So I made sure she got it this year. She also has a family and took time away from them to work on this for me even though she had a lot going on in her life. I am truly blessed.**

 **Happy New Year, everyone! Be safe, and I'll see you in 2017!**

 **xoxo PB**


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